PDEA welcomes return of PNP in drug war

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) welcomes the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to reinstate the Philippine National Police (PNP) as an active participant in his administration’s crackdown against illegal drugs.

“PDEA welcomes the decision of the President,” PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said in a statement on Tuesday. “It has been the desire of PDEA that PNP will return in the fight against illegal drugs.”

Aquino admitted that the PDEA was “undermanned,” “under-budget[ed],” and “under-equipped” to take on the war on drugs, stressing there is a need for other law enforcement agencies to participate in the campaign.

“From the time it was given the sole responsibility in the conduct of anti-drug operations, PDEA conducted a total of 2,161 anti-drug operations from October 11, 2017 to December 4, 2017 that resulted in the arrest of 750 drug personalities and seizure of P104.10 million worth of illegal drugs,” Aquino said.

In a memorandum dated Oct. 10, 2017, Duterte named PDEA as the “sole agency” in charge of his war on drugs.

The order came two days after a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that his public satisfaction rating dwindled by 18 points. /atm