The country’s largest drug rehabilitation center, while capable of housing up thousands of addicts, cannot accept drug dependents with criminal records.
Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial said there was a need to assess drug surrenderers to see if they can be transferred to the Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Fort Magsaysay.
She explained that the facility in Nueva Ecija is not a traditional rehabilitation center since it was a prefabricated structure.
“Only those for voluntary rehab are qualified there. Drug dependents with criminal records cannot be accommodated there due to security issues,” she said on Friday.
A local court has the authority to order the transfer of a drug dependent to the Nueva Ecija facility.—JULIE M. AURELIO