Metro Manila, Philippines – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief PGen Nicolas Torre said the anti-drug campaign has been significantly more effective than its predecessor, citing a dramatic increase in confiscated drug and high-value arrests.
“Six times ang dami ng confiscation ng shabu compared to the previous administration,” Torre told reporters after the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday, July 28.[Translation: We’ve confiscated six times more shabu compared to the previous administration.]Torre confidently stood by the performance of anti-drug operations.“Maganda, mas effective tayo ngayon. Definitely, I’m very sure of that,” he said.[Translation: Things are good – we are more effective now. I’m definitely sure of that.]The previous administration’s bloody drug campaign is at center in the preliminary hearings at the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands where former President Rodrigo Duterte has been detained to face charges of crimes against humanity for muder.
Drug war gains
Marcos noted that illegal drugs with a street value of nearly ₱83 billion had been confiscated from warehouses, laboratories, and smuggling attempts.“Kamakailan lamang, may mga malalaking kargamento na nagkakahalaga ng bilyon-bilyon na nasabat natin sa Zambales, sa Pangasinan, sa Cagayan, Tondo, Muntinlupa, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Cebu, Batangas, Rizal, at sa Cavite,” Marcos said.[Translation: Just recently, we intercepted multibillion-peso shipments in Zambales, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Tondo, Muntinlupa, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Cebu, Batangas, Rizal, and Cavite.] The president said he personally witnessed the destruction of nearly 1.5 tons of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally called shabu, and other illegal drugs in June. He added that over 153,000 suspects had been arrested in drug stings during the first half of his term, including more than 9,600 high-value targets.Of those arrested, over 670 were government employees, including more than 100 elected officials and at least 50 police officers.“Sa tatlong taon lamang, halos mapantayan na ang kabuuang huli noong nakaraang administrasyon,” Marcos noted.[Translation: In just three years, we’ve nearly matched the total arrests under the previous administration.] Marcos also acknowledged that drug dealers resurface, prompting the continuation of operations at all levels.Torre brushes off ‘rematch’ with BasteMeanwhile, Torre dismissed talk of a potential rematch or renewed conflict with Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, with whom he was previously linked in a brief public spat.“Wala naman match nangyari. Anong rematch? Wala naman match nangyari,” Torre said, downplaying any past tension.[Translation: There was no match in the first place – so how could there be a rematch?] Asked if he had any message for Duterte, the PNP chief gave a curt reply: “Wala na. Hindi naman makaabot sa kanyang mundo yan. May sariling mundo yan. So never mind.”
