PH still has a drug problem —Marcos

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. admits that the drug problem remains prevalent in the country but said that he has already tasked authorities to double down on solving the issue. 

''We still have a drug problem in this country, siyempre pumapasok pa rin 'yung shabu so sabi ko... Hulihin ninyo 'yung malalaki saka puntahan ninyo kung saan pumapasok, 'yun ang isara natin, and we're slowly doing that,'' Marcos said during an episode of the BBM Podcast. 

(Shabu continues to enter our country. I told them to catch big drug dealers and conduct operations in areas where illegal drugs enter.)

''Ito ngayon, sinabi ko sa Coast Guard at sa PNP, bantayan na ninyo kasi ayokong bumalik sa merkado 'yan. Sirain na ninyo kaagad, as quickly as possible, and make sure na andoon kayo para pag sinabing so many tons, ilang tonelada, 'yun talaga ang nandiyan... hindi nababawasan,'' he added. 

(I told the Coast Guard and the PNP to be vigilant because I don't want illegal drugs to return to the market. Destroy them immediately, as quickly as possible, and make sure that you're there so that when you mention how many tons, that's the specific figure. Audit the drugs properly and burn them.) 

Recently, authorities found floating packs of suspected shabu worth millions of pesos off the coasts of several provinces in Northern Luzon.

Last month, Marcos said he wants law enforcers to go after small-scale drug dealers while strictly upholding due process in their anti-drug operations.

In an interview with broadcast journalist Anthony Taberna, he said that his administration would carry out the anti-drug campaign without resorting to killings.

The President also talked to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and told him that it is not good to see areas which have been experiencing drug menace. Marcos then mentioned the need for increased police visibility in those areas inflicted with illegal drugs. —VAL, GMA Integrated News