PDEA to heed Marcos’ call vs small-scale drug dealers

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Sunday committed to adhere to the call of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of going after small-scale drug dealers while still upholding the due process of law. 

“There is wisdom behind this pronouncement ng ating Pangulo. Gaya ng nabanggit niya na kailangan tutukan din ang small-time drug peddlers, susundin naman ‘yan ng PDEA, kasama ang ibang law enforcement agencies,” PDEA spokesperson Joseph Frederick Calulut said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. 

(There is wisdom behind this pronouncement of our President. He said we should also focus on small-time drug peddlers, and so PDEA will obey that along with other law enforcement agencies.) 

Marcos had said that his administration would carry out the anti-drug campaign without resorting to killings. He said he raised the need for increased police visibility in those areas inflicted with illegal drugs to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla. 

Even as concerned agencies focus on small drug dealers, the President said the operations against big time syndicates would still continue.

“So ngayon, in the same vein, part of the lesson of this election, let’s go back to ‘yung sa grassroots level. Kung inaalala ng tao, sinasabi, nagbabalikan (ang drugs) dito, sige, tuloy natin ‘yung malalaking drug bust,” Marcos said.

(Right now, in the same vein, part of the lesson of this election, let’s go back to the grassroots level. If people were saying that illegal drugs have come back, let’s continue the huge drug bust.)

“Tuloy natin… ikukulong natin ‘yung mga sangkot diyan sa drugs. Pero tingnan na muna natin ‘yung mas small offender," he added.

(Let’s continue, let’s put to jail those involved in illegal drugs. But let’s look at the small offender.)

Following Marcos’ statement, Calulut said PDEA has started to move against small-scale drug dealers, and is expected to release data in the coming days. 

He also emphasized that PDEA has confiscated a larger volume and value of illegal drugs now as compared to the past administration. 

“Itong panahon ngayon, nag-concentrate din kasi ang PDEA sa mga big time drug syndicate dahil nga isa sa mga means kung paano masugpo ang paglaganap ng iligal na droga sa bansa ay ‘yung tinatawag na supply reduction strategy,” Calulut explained. 

(The PDEA has now also concentrated on big time drug syndicates because one of the means to stop the spread of illegal drugs in the country is through supply reduction strategy.) 

“Kaya tinutukan natin through concerted efforts with other law enforcement agencies at saka pinaigting natin ang intelligence operations, [naging] malalaki ‘yung mga confiscations natin,” he continued. 

(Our confiscations became bigger because we focused on this through concerted efforts with other law enforcement agencies, and we also strengthened our intelligence operations.) —RF, GMA Integrated News