MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Thursday made a pitch for using the assets, including cash, of drug syndicates to finance the government’s anti-narcotics campaign.
“Remember, droga [is] pera. Kapag ‘di mo kayang gawing pera ang droga ‘di ka successful as drug syndicate. So ‘yun [drug money] ang kinukuha natin,” PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva said in a press conference at Valenzuela City, as he pointed out the freezing of assets of drug syndicates.
(Remember, drugs [is] money. If you can turn drugs into money then you are not a successful drug syndicate so that is what we are going after.)
“Mag-mo-motion tayo sa korte para yung pera nila [drug syndicate] magamit ng DDB [Dangerous Drugs Board] at PDEA para sa anti-drug operation or rehabilitation. Igigisa natin sila sa sarili nilang mantika,” he added.
(We will ask the court that the drug syndicate money will be used by the DDB and PDEA for anti-drug operation or rehabilitation. We will fry them in their own lard.)
In a phone interview with INQUIRER.net, Villanueva said they are hoping that after the forfeiture of drug syndicates’ bank accounts, the money will be used for the treatment of drug addicts.
“Sana kapag naforfeit na natin ito [drug syndicates’ assets] we move na sana ‘yung pera na ito magamit for alcalde for treatment and rehabilitation for drug personalities. Para sa drug rehabilitations ng drug addicts,” he said.
(Once we forfeit these assets, we move that the cash will be allocated for treatment and rehabilitation for drug personalities. For drug rehabilitation of drug addicts.)
Villanueva also pointed out that the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 mandates that proceeds from illegal drug trade will be used for the nation’s anti-drug campaign, which led to more than 6,000 killings.
“The proceeds of any sale or disposition of any property confiscated or forfeited under this Section shall be used to pay all proper expenses incurred in the proceedings for the confiscation, forfeiture, custody and maintenance of the property pending disposition, as well as expenses for publication and court costs,” read Section 20 of RA 9165.
“The proceeds in excess of the above expenses shall accrue to the Board to be used in its campaign against illegal drugs,” the law added.