PDEA asks businessmen and homeowners to cooperate in fighting illegal drugs

February 21, 2019

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Thursday sought the cooperation of business establishments and homeowners in their fight against illegal drugs.

During an anti-drug advocacy orientation to owners and employees of hotels, condominiums, subdivision, villages, restaurants and bars seminar in Quezon City, PDEA Director Irish Calaguas said this seminar will correct the country’s culture of not taking care of their surroundings.

Based on their records, from 2013 to 2019, a total of 2,062 incidents of seizure of drug evidence were recorded in private facilities in which a total of 4,002 drug personalities were arrested and P10 billion worth of dangerous drugs were confiscated including 1,968 kilos of shabu, 4.39 kilos of cocaine and 1,711 pieces of ecstacy.

“PDEA has only around 1,300 agents all over the Philippines. We cannot do this alone, especially that we are against organized and rich syndicates. That’s why we are asking for you cooperation. We are not your enemy,” said Calaguas.

During their anti-illegal drug operations, Calaguas said some neighbors and even the security guards of the establishments are not aware people around them are involved in drugs.

Citing an operation in 2017 at a hotel in Taguig City, suspects rented a room. The security personnel and management of the hotel noticed a lot of people  going in and out but they did not report it to the authorities.

“We all know that homes in private subdivisions were being turned into drug dens, hotels as warehouses, so we really need the involvement of the community and we need to inform them on what are the modus operandi (of drug syndicates) so they can report it to the authorities,” said Calaguas.

“So it’s really the culture of the Filipino, three things: one, doesn’t want to be involved, doesn’t care, or they don’t really know the modus operandi of the drug syndicates,” she said.

Calaguas said drug syndicates are using private properties since they know law enforcers will have a difficult time entering the facilities in conducting surveillance.

“We want to empower you so that you will know the modus operandi of the illegal drug syndicates. And we want to teach you on what to do if you notice something suspicious, if you see one, you can report it to PDEA,” said Calaguas.

“It’s about time to change our mindset that the fight against illegal drugs is not only the responsibility of the government but the responsibility of all of us,” she added.

According to PDEA, this is the first leg of their anti-illegal drugs advocacy campaign. They will conduct similar seminars throughout the whole country. Ella Dionisio/DMS