With drug war questioned, Palace showers Aquino with figures

CITIZEN NOY / JULY 17, 2017
Former President Benigno Simeon Aquino III answers questions during an interview at his residence in Times Street in Quezon City on Monday, July 17, 2017.
INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

Malacañang on Wednesday hit back at former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III for saying it seemed like nothing happened in the drug war of the Duterte administration.

Aquino told reporters on Tuesday that during his term in 2015, statistics showed that there were 1.8 million drug users in the Philippines. At the end of 2016, the number of drug users in the country remained at 1.8 million.

“Parang wala yatang nangyari (It seems like nothing happened),” Aquino said.

But Malacañang refuted Aquino’s claims.

“Comments like the above from past leaders imply a jaded cynicism borne of a history of political opportunism,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

BACKSTORY: Duterte: Aquino never attempted to know scale of drug problem

Abella said “the results of (President Rodrigo Duterte’s) anti-illegal drug campaign speak for themselves.”

He said Duterte’s war on drugs resulted in the unprecedented voluntary surrender of more than 1.3 million drug personalities.

He cited that 96,703 drug personalities have been arrested in the first year of the Dutertes administration’s war on drugs compared to 77,810 drug personalities arrested in the six years of the Aquino administration.

He added that 2,445.80 kilos of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) have been seized in the first year of the present administration’s anti-drug campaign compared to the 3,219.07 kilos of shabu seized in the six years of the previous administration.

“Much ground has been gained in the campaign against hard drug traffickers and violators, but the mission is to end the demand, production, distribution and sale of illegal drugs,” he said. IDL