Robredo says gov't seized only 1% of country's entire drug supply
Vice President Leni Robredo said the government seized only one percent of the entire supply of illegal drugs in the country.
"About one percent of the overall supply of shabu was confiscated by PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) for the past three years," said Robredo, former co-chairman of the Inter Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), in a press conference on Monday.
Robredo said based on data from the Philippine National Police (PNP), three tons or around 3,000 kilos of shabu are being consumed in the country every week. This amounts to around 156,000 kilos of illegal drugs each year.
However, she explained data reveals that only one percent was recovered in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
"Based on data by PDEA, from January to October 2019 only 1,344 kilos was seized. This is one percent of the total consumed illegal drugs in the country," she said.
"In 2017 1,053 kilos was confiscated and 785 kilos in 2018," she added.
Robredo also revealed less than a percent of the total worth of the illegal drug supply in the country has been collected.
Citing another data givenr by PNP, she said 3,000 kilos of shabu is equivalent to P25 billion. The overall worth of illegal drugs that are supplied in the counrty will be around P1.3 trillion acccording to Robredo.
"Based on official data, only P1.4 billion was claimed by AMLAC (Anti-Money Loundering Council) from 2017 to 2018 in relation to illegal drugs," Robredo said.
"Amid the thousands of Filipinos killed and money used for the campaign, only one percent of shabu supply and money from illegal drugs was taken by the government," she added.
Robredo suggested to change the strategies for the campaign against illegal drugs. This include the removal of tokhang and creation of a new operational guidelines "to avoid abuses in the campaign."
Robredo said the government should focus more on going after high value targets or the drug lords who supplies the illegal drugs instead of the small time drug pushers in the streets.
Robredo clarified that her revelations and suggestions were not meant to sabotage the government's campaign against the use of illegal drugs.
"Mr. President, I am now announcing these not to cause damage or make criticisms but to tell the truth. I assure you that I will continue to help in solving the illegal drugs problem of the country," she said. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS
