HOUSE Speaker and AIPA President Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III on Wednesday proposed expanding the mandate of the AIPA Advisory Council on Dangerous Drugs (AIPACODD) to cover a broader range of crimes linked to the illicit drug trade, saying criminal networks have become increasingly interconnected and transnational.
Delivering the keynote address at the 9th Meeting of AIPACODD in Manila, Dy said the nature of the threat confronting ASEAN has changed significantly since the body’s origins as the AIPA Fact-Finding Committee to Combat the Drug Menace (AIFOCOM).
According to the speaker, “Since its beginnings as the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Fact-Finding Committee to Combat the Drug Menace (AIFOCOM) in 1999, AIPACODD has evolved into a vital platform for legislative dialogue, policy exchange, and regional cooperation.”
Dy noted that drug-related crimes are increasingly linked to broader criminal enterprises operating across borders.
“Today, drug-related crimes are no longer isolated offenses. They are increasingly intertwined with a broader web of transnational organized crime that threatens regional security, undermines economic stability, and impedes human development. These threats recognize no borders. Neither should our response.”
The Speaker said ASEAN must strengthen cooperation and close legal and enforcement gaps exploited by criminal organizations.
“Cooperation alone is no longer enough. Criminal networks continue to exploit differences in legal frameworks and gaps in enforcement across our jurisdictions. To stay ahead, we must pursue stronger mechanisms for collaboration and greater harmonization of our laws, denying these networks the space in which they operate.”
Dy said the Philippines supports expanding the body’s mandate through amendments to its Terms of Reference.
“For its part, the Philippines strongly supports amendments to the existing Terms of Reference of AIPACODD to expand its mandate and operational framework by including other crimes directly or indirectly linked to the illicit drug trade.”
He said the proposed reforms would transform the body into “AIPACODD Plus.”
“If approved, AIPACODD will become AIPACODD Plus—a transformation driven by strategic necessity. This expanded framework will strengthen ASEAN parliamentary cooperation not only against drug trafficking but also against the crimes that sustain and profit from it, including money laundering, trafficking in persons, and cybercrime,” stressed the Speaker from Isabela.
The proposal builds on a reform initiative originally championed by the Philippines. During the 38th AIPA General Assembly held in Manila in 2017, member parliaments adopted a Philippine proposal transforming AIFOCOM into AIPACODD to move beyond fact-finding and toward consultation, recommendations, and coordinated parliamentary action against the drug menace.
The Philippines currently serves as President of AIPA and will host the 47th AIPA General Assembly in November 2026 under the theme “Parliaments Securing a Peaceful, Prosperous, and People-Centered ASEAN.” The proposal of the Speaker is expected to be among the key discussions as ASEAN parliamentarians continue strengthening regional cooperation against transnational crime.
