MANILA -- President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has lauded the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for their sustained anti-illegal narcotics campaign in the country, as he hopes the police and the DILG to continue their efforts in the coming months.

“It has to be a sustained campaign with no end in sight because nakita mo naman during my watch sa kaistrikto ko sa droga ganoon rin,” President Duterte said during his weekly Talk to the People aired on Wednesday morning.

“May mga tao talaga na… It’s always money. So iyan ang magiging problema. But I’d like to congratulate the DILG and the police for the, I said, the fervor that they are nurturing in fighting the drug problem.”

In his report to the President, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said their anti-illegal drug operations continue, manifesting the government’s seriousness in eliminating the drug menace.

Last week, he reported that law enforcers conducted 547 anti-illegal drug operations, resulting in 797 arrests. Some 52 suspected drug offenders surrendered, while a single casualty was recorded during drug operations.

“At sa buo pong operation ngayong linggong ito ay nakapagkumpiska tayo ng shabu at marijuana amounting to P143,938,870 worth of shabu and marijuana. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin po ang ating kampanya dito,” he said.

Last December, Año reported at least P74.3-billion worth of illegal drugs have been confiscated since the Duterte administration launched its war on drugs in 2016.

Over 15,000 kilos of shabu, marijuana and Ecstasy tablets were destroyed by the authorities, while 982 dens and 18 clandestine laboratories were dismantled, according to the interior chief.

Eliminating illegal drugs, fighting corruption and crime, were President Duterte’s major campaign pledges when he ran for the presidency in 2016. (PND)