Total drug war deaths at 6,235 as of February 2022, says PDEA

MANILA, Philippines — The total number of drug suspects that were killed in the government’s war against illegal drugs has reached 6,235 as of Feb. 28 this year, said the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Wednesday.

This was announced by PDEA through its Real Numbers PH report, a regular update on drug war statistics.

The report showed that a total of 331,694 suspects were arrested in the 229,868 drug war operations commenced since July 1, or since President Rodrigo Duterte took office.

Meanwhile, even as the end of Duterte’s term and his “war on drugs,” or “oplan tokhang,” nears, the PDEA announced that 11,060 barangays (villages) have yet to be “cleared” of illegal drugs, while only 24,379 of the 42,045 total barangays have been proclaimed “drug-free.”

Of the number of arrested individuals, PDEA said 14,648 were considered high-value targets, which involves the following:

• 353 foreign nationals
• 398 elected officials
• 126 uniformed personnel
• 525 government employees
• 4,018 targets listed
• 797 drug group leaders and members
• 78 armed group members
• 1,556 drug den maintainers
• 291 on wanted lists
• 24 celebrities or licensed professionals
• 6,482 from high-impact operations

The total value of narcotics confiscated amounts to P76.01 billion. Crystal meth or shabu continues to be the most discovered and seized illegal drug, accounting for 9,915 kilograms (kgs), followed by marijuana (10,110.48 kgs), cocaine (524.63 kgs), and ecstasy (163,295 pieces).

Despite launching the controversial “war on drugs,” which garnered criticisms not just across the country but all around the world due to its bloody execution almost as soon as it began in 2016, Duterte in a taped briefing on Tuesday warned that a “resurgence” of illegal drugs may occur after his term ends.

READ: Duterte warns ‘resurgence’ of drugs possible after term

He blamed Chinese “businessmen,” “triads,” who operate in other countries like Laos and Afghanistan.

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