Drug syndicates will create more laboratories as long as there is no death penalty in the country, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino said on Wednesday.
In an interview with Radyo Inquirer, Aquino added that foreign drug syndicates also prefer to operate in the country thinking that Filipinos are prone to corruption.
“In fact may mga nakausap akong chemists, mga Chinese, ang sabi nila patuloy nilang itatayo ang mga drug laboratory sa ating bansa kasi nga unang-una wala tayong death penalty,” Aquino said.
“In spite na kamay na bakal na nga ang Presidente natin, patuloy pa rin nilang ginagawa, kasi nga sabi nila madali raw i-corrupt ang mga Pilipino” he added.
Aquino’s comments came after PDEA agents raided a “kitchen” laboratory inside a posh Pasay condominium unit on Tuesday.
Four chemists from Hong Kong allegedly memberts of the 14K drug syndicate were arrested through the help of the Hong Kong Narcotics Bureau and the National Narcotics Control Commission of China.
READ: PDEA dismantles ‘shabu’ lab in posh residential area in Pasay
But even with this development, Aquino has called for a better coordination between local and foreign agencies, as foreigners with pending drug cases are still being allowed to enter the country.
“Isang typical example dito ay ‘yong sa magnetic lifters, isa sa mga sindikatong pumasok sa ating bansa ang isa ay nakulong sa drugs sa Taiwan,” Aquino said.
“When I asked Bureau of Immigration kung bakit nakakapasok itong mga may kaso ng drugs sa ating bansa, ‘yon ang problema, parang mahina ang partnership o collaboration ng ating ahensya sa ibang bansa,” he added.
According to the PDEA chief, government should talk with its counterparts so that drug suspects trying to enter the country would be blocked and identified.
“Dapat ganon eh, dun pa lang dapat ‘pag naka-red flag ka, ‘pag pasok mo sa Customs area, oops, teka muna ‘di ka pwede pumasok may kaso ka ng droga,” he said. /muf