Sotto thinks Lacson could lead PH fight vs illegal drugs

Sen. Vicente Sotto III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Senator  Vicente “Tito”  Sotto III wants  former senator and now rehabilitation czar  Panfilo Lacson  to head  the fight against illegal drugs in the country.

“In my personal  opinion,  many  may not like this but in my personal  opinion, if you want to put an anti-drug czar now, I will put Ping Lacson,” Sotto said in Filipino when interviewed over Radio Inquirer 990AM  on Friday.

Sotto, former head of the Dangerous Drug Board  (DDB), said  Lacson  could head the board while Bobby Ortega, former  police chief in Baguio,  could also  lead the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

“The drug traffickers, fortunately for them, I don’t have a say who should be head. If I have the say, I’ll put Ping Lacson and Ortega as heads of both agencies,”  he said.

The senator admitted that he was not satisfied with the performance of PDEA although  he acknowledged that the agency does not have enough resources to combat the worsening problem on illegal drugs.

“Not exactly, I’m not satisfied,” Sotto when asked if he was happy with the  performance of PDEA.

“I’m not saying they are not doing their job, they are ok  but they have difficulty doing the job. They are outgunned, outmanned and  out financed,” he said.

“So what ‘m saying? I’m saying that the executive level should do more about this,” said the senator.

Alarmed by the reported entry of a Mexican drug  cartel  in the country,  Sotto proposed a holistic approach  to the  illegal drug problem by involving not only the PDEA and the National Bureau of Investigation  (NBI)  but  other law enforcement agencies  including the Intelligence Service of  the Armed Forces of the Philippines or Isafp.

“The NBI has too much on their hands but they are working, doing their job but they need help so why not involve the Isafp?” he  said.

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