200 K9s to bolster PDEA’s anti-drug drive

 MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is poised to receive and deploy an additional 200 K9s to further boost the government’s war on drugs.

PDEA chief Director General Aaron Aquino, in a press conference on Thursday said that 100 dogs are about to graduate from the agency’s training program in March this year.

The dogs will be assigned to different seaports and airports across the country to intercept shipments of illegal drugs, Aquino said.

In addition to the graduating dogs, Aquino said the PDEA also plans to purchase another 100 dogs this year.

“Sa awa ng Diyos, kung ma-purchase namin iyan, ma-training namin [for] another six months, before the end of 2019 makakaproduce na naman kami ng another 100 dogs to be again assigned dito sa mga ibang airports at seaports at also sa ating regional headquarters,” Aquino said.

(By the grace of God, if we will be able to purchase and train them for another six months, we will be able to produce another 100 dogs before the end of 2019. They will be assigned in different airports, seaports, and to our regional headquarters.)

The PDEA currently has only 47 K9s nationwide, according to Aquino.

“Lala”, the Belgian Malinois who positively identified the presence of P3.4 billion worth of shabu concealed in two magnetic lifters at a Manila port on Aug. 7. is awarded with a medal. Screenshot from PDEA/RTVM live stream.

The PDEA’s K9 unit helped  detect a supposed shabu shipment in magnetic lifters in a Cavite warehouse in August last year. / gsg