PNP to tap newly elected local officials in campaign vs street-level drug pushers

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Sunday that it would coordinate with the newly elected officials in local government units to augment efforts in the anti-drug operations against small-scale drug dealers.

This, as President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said he wants law enforcers to also go after small drug offenders without resorting to killings.

“Kakatapos lang ng national and local elections. May mga bagong halal tayo na mga mayor, mga councilor. Ika-capacitate natin sila para maintindihan nila na itong laban natin sa droga ay hindi lamang dapat tinitignan sa law enforcement perspective. Kailangan pagtulungan ito ng lahat ng mga ahensiya ng gobyerno, lalong lalo na ng ating komunidad,” PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(We just finished our national and local elections, so we have newly elected mayors, councilors, etc. We will capacitate them so that they wil understand that our fight against drugs should not only be viewed from a law enforcement perspective. We need the cooperation of all government agencies, especially our communities.)

Fajardo said that PNP personnel will participate in the meetings of the peace and order councils in provinces, municipalities, and cities to make the government officials better understand the state of drug problem in their respective communities.

The police would also orient them on how to properly approach drug users and pushers, as well as on how to detect drug facilities and laboratories in their areas.

“Isa pa sa gusto rin nating isulong ang pagpapasa ng mga barangay ordinances. Siguro sa iba, maliit na bagay ito. Gusto natin, pati sa barangay level pa lang ay nakakapagpasa sila ng mga anti-illegal drugs initiatives and programs, pati na ‘yung simple lang, ‘yung mga curfew hours,” she added.

(Another thing we want to promote is the passing of barangay ordinances. Maybe for others, this is nothing. But we want them to be able to pass anti-illegal drugs initiatives and programs even at the barangay level, including even simple ones, like implementing curfew hours.)

Fajardo explained that barangay officials know their residents better, so they should be alert when it comes to what’s happening in their communities.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Sunday also committed to adhere to Marcos’ call against small-scale drug dealers while still upholding the due process of law.

According to Fajardo, the PNP has confiscated P43.3 billion worth of illegal drugs in the first three years of the Marcos administration.

This was three times higher than the P14.3 billion worth of drugs seized during the first half of the Duterte administration, where the controversial war on drugs was launched. —KG, GMA Integrated News