PNP records 1.5 million drug users in 3-year drug war

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) said 1.5 million drug users have been “accounted for” since the start of the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign in 2016.

This is different from President Rodrigo Duterte’s estimate of 7 to 8 million drug users.

“We have accounted for 1.5 million drug users for the last three years,” PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac told ABS-CBN News Channel on Wednesday when asked about PNP’s records on drug users.

Banac said their records were based on the drug users who “users voluntarily surrendered and made themselves accounted for.”

Asked if Duterte was misinformed, Banac said the President may have a wide source of information.

“Well we can always say that because the President has wide source of information so when he makes that estimate there could be a basis on that,” Banac said.

READ: Palace: Duterte’s 7-8 million drug users estimate refers to ‘national figure’

The number of drug users was disclosed after Vice President Leni Robredo said the government’s crackdown against illegal drugs might not be working.

“If you started with 1.4 million and it ballooned to seven to eight million despite the campaign, something is not working,” Robredo said in a recent interview. /je

READ: Robredo: I said reassess – not stop – drug war