Uproot illegal drugs problem — DILG chief Abalos

DILG Secretary delivers a speech during the launch of the anti-illegal drugs campaign “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” (Photo from DILG’s Faceobook)

MANILA, Philippines —Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. stressed the importance of uprooting the problem of illegal drugs during the launch of the “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” or BIDA Program, which is meant to pioneer a renewed approach against illegal drugs under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration.   

“Kung mayroon ka isang puno…gusto mo tanggalin yung puno. Putol ka naman ng putol ng sanga. Pero ang sanga, tubo ng tubo yung iba.  Kung gusto mo tanggalin yung puno, ugatin mo, ugatin mo yung puno,” said Abalos.

(If you have a tree, and you want to get rid of it,  you keep cutting the branches, but they keep growing back. If you want to get rid of it, uproot it). 

Abalos said that despite the many arrests by officials from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI),  Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and other government agencies, the drug menace persists.

“Kaya nga kailangan natin dito, hindi lang ang paghuli, ating mga kapulisyahan, ng PDEA, ang NBI. Tulungan ang buong bayan, ugatin natin ang problema,” stated the DILG secretary. 

(That is why what we need here, not just arresting drug suspects. As a nation, we should each help other, uproot the problem).         

The BIDA campaign is aimed at revamping the campaign against illegal drugs after Marcos said he wants a more holistic campaign within the frame of law. 

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  gsg