Some of the illegal drugs that were seized by PDEA last year.
A TOTAL of P75 billion worth of illegal drugs nationwide have been seized by the authorities since the beginning of the Duterte administration’s war on illegal drugs in mid-2016.
Based on its most recent Real Numbers data as of January 31 and issued on Wednesday night, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) stated that the amount includes PHP63.22 billion worth of shabu.
From July 2016 to January 2022, authorities have seized 8,170.51 kilograms (kg) of shabu, 4,205.76 kgs of marijuana, 22.56 kgs of ecstasy, 534.20 kgs of cocaine, and 3,483.04 kgs of other dangerous drugs while dismantling 1,008 drug dens and 18 clandestine shabu laboratories.
Since the anti-illegal drugs campaign began on July 1, 2016, a total of 14,389 high-value targets have been apprehended across the country.
There were 6,319 HVTs apprehended during high-impact operations, 3,989 target-listed suspects, 1,498 drug den keepers, 797 drug group leaders/members, 522 government employees, 396 elected officials, 352 foreigners, 291 on wanted lists, 126 uniformed personnel, 75 armed group members, and 24 prominent personalities.
During the same period, authorities arrested 327,039 people who were involved in illegal drugs.
The consolidated report indicated 6,229 drug suspects have died during 226,662 anti-illegal drug operations as of January this year.
Authorities also arrested 4,170 children from July 2016 to January 2022. There are 2,487 pushers, 979 possessors, 441 users, 232 drug den visitors, nine drug den maintainers, 17 drug den employees, two cultivators, one clan lab employee, and two runners in this group.
The rescued minors would be turned over to the Bahay Pag-asa centers of LGUs within eight hours after being taken into custody by the police, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The DSWD stated that because they are minors, they will not be jailed in the same prison with hardened criminals.
At least 24,303 out of the 42,045 barangays (villages) have been declared drug-cleared as of January 2022 while 6,613 barangays were drug unaffected/drug-free barangays and 11,129 have yet to be cleared of illegal drugs.
Following the issuance of a certification by members of the oversight committee on barangay drug-Clearing program, these barangays have reached drug-cleared status.
The agency guaranteed that the health and safety of its agents are prioritized in anti-drug operations.
PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva earlier stated that the ‘Barangay PDEA’ program intends to promote a “balanced and humane” anti-drug campaign as it provides the public a more comprehensive platform of information on the harm reduction initiatives of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program (BDCP) like the Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program and Balay Silangan, both drug intervention programs for surrendering drug users and pushers to help them reintegrate in the society and become productive citizens.
Villanueva also promised to take action against village chiefs who fail to establish their own barangay drug abuse councils (BADACs).
PDEA, as the lead agency in the fight against illegal drugs, has implemented a three-pronged strategy in the national anti-drug campaign, according to Villanueva, which focuses on reducing supply, demand, and adverse effects.
To expedite drug-clearing operations in the communities and prevent the proliferation of illegal drugs in the barangays, the agency has established a barangay drug clearing program working group for monitoring and validation.
