Malacañang welcomes Sotto suggestion on mega-drug rehab center

Senator Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III is suggesting that that a portion of the mega rehabilitation center in Nueva Ecija be used as a drug enforcement academy. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the suggestion was welcome. INQUIRER PHOTO

Malacañang on Thursday welcomed the proposal of Sen. Vicente Sotto III to use the mega drug rehabilitation center as a drug enforcement academy.

“We welcome the suggestion of Senator Vicente Sotto III on the mega drug rehabilitation and treatment center in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

Sotto on Wednesday said the 10,000-bed rehabilitation center could be put to optimum use if it could be used as a training facility for drug enforcers.

Roque, however, said the rehabilitation center was not envisioned to be permanent.

“If you would recall, the 10,000-bed mega-facility was built for the recovery and treatment of drug addicts in the country,” he said.

“However, from the beginning, we, particularly our health officials, do not envision this to be a permanent structure he added.

Roque said the rehabilitation facility would eventually be turned over to the military once the drug problem has been resolved.

“Our long-term vision is once the drug problem has been resolved, this can be turned over to the military who owns the land or other agencies of government that can utilize, manage and optimize the facility,” he said.

Former Dangerous Drugs Board Chief Dionisio Santiago has said that the rehabilitation facility in Nueva Ecija was “impractical and a mistake.”

President Rodrigo Duterte said he was offended by Santiago’s remarks, promoting him to ask the DDB chief to resign. /cbb