PDEA says Robredo’s comments ”mere political attack” vs Duterte

January 6, 2020

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Monday said the recommendations presented by Vice President Leni Robredo are “mere political attack” against President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a statement, PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said he is saddened after Robredo dismissed and ignored all the government’s efforts and accomplishments on their campaign against illegal drugs.

“Vice President Leni Robredo’s statement is saddening– 18 days as ICAD co-chairman yet she has dismissed and ignored all of our government’s accomplishments and efforts for the past three years,” Aquino said.

“I see her recommendations as a mere political attack against President Rodrigo Duterte,” he added.

Aquino said as far as PDEA is concerned, the metrics for success of the anti-illegal drug campaign is drug clearing, crime index, trust rating and operational accomplishments.

Based on their data, they cleared 16,706 barangays of illegal drugs out of 33,881 or 49.13 percent and nationwide crime incidents declined from 11,860 in July 2016 to 5,000 in July 2019 as reported by the Philippine National Police.

Aquino even cited a SWS survey last September 2019 saying 82 percent of Filipinos are satisfied with the war against illegal drugs and its December survey showing that President Rodrigo Duterte’s trust rating is at peak 87 percent.

Aquino said PDEA also seized a total of P45 billion worth of illegal drugs from 2016 to 2019 from the 162,987 operations with 225,284 arrests.

“Meaning, what the national government is doing is right. The people appreciate what President Rodrigo Duterte is doing on his program against illegal drugs,” he said.

“How can she claim it’s a failure? Yes, there are still shortcomings and flaws to the illegal drug programs particularly on rehabilitation but that is what ICAD is addressing now. As one working committee,” Aquino said.

On the Vice President’s statement that “kalat ang datos” (scattered data), Aquino said the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) has completed its survey and is now on the final phase of data gathering to once and for all update the data on drug users and pushers.

“We reported that to the VP. However, I told her that it is very difficult to gather the real data since nobody will admit that he/she is a user or pusher,” he said, adding it is the same situation in other countries.

Duterte designated Robredo as co-chairperson of Interagency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs in November 2019 but he removed her in the same month after the vice president chose to have a dialogue with international committee instead of other ICAD sectors first. Ella Dionisio/DMS