MANILA -- Authorities confiscated more than P35 million worth of illegal narcotics in anti-illegal drug operations conducted from October 3 to 9, the country’s interior and local government secretary said on Monday.
In his report to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said methamphetamine and marijuana amounting to P35,666,243 were confiscated in different drug hauls carried out by anti-drug agencies.
During that period, 710 anti-illegal drugs operations were conducted resulting in the arrest of 1,025 drug offenders. Fourteen of those surrendered, while a suspect died during an operation, according to Año.
Año also reported that the government’s fight against illegal drugs has been institutionalized through the campaign by local government units (LGUs) particularly with the creation of provincial, city, and municipal Anti-Drug Abuse Councils.
“Sa 81 probinsiya, ang atin pong highly functional ay 22; at 53 naman ang moderately functional; at anim lamang ang low functional. On the average, mayroon po tayong 70.07 functionality grade sa ating mga LGUs,” he told the President.
A 2016 government campaign to rehabilitate drugs addicts has also gained momentum, Año said.
In 2017, 149,000 drug users availed the community-based drug rehabilitation program through the existing Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers.
“By 2021 of second quarter, nakita po natin 783,005 ang nag-avail ng community-based drug rehabilitation program at masasabi natin po ang mga kababayan nating ito ay lubusan na pong gumaling,” he noted.
To rehabilitate more drug users, the government increased the number of Drug Abuse Treatment Rehabilitation Centers or DATRC under the Department of Health’s (DOH) supervision, from 13 to 22.
In 2016, 10,633 drug users enrolled at DATRC. Currently, 63,758 drug users who underwent the DATRC’s program were fully rehabilitated, the interior chief said.
“Kaya pinapatunayan lang po natin na hindi lamang tayo masigasig sa operations against illegal drugs kundi pati rin po sa pagre-rehabilitate ng ating mga kababayan,” he said. (PND)
