THE operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 1 are happy and feel relieved with the decision of President Duterte to task the Philippine National Police to resume its role in the anti-illegal drugs.

Atty. Marvin Tavares, PDEA assistant regional director, said the recent presidential order to the PNP to actively participate in the government’s efforts to stamp out illegal drugs augurs well for the war on drugs.

Tavares said PDEA’s operations were seriously hampered when the PNP was ordered to stand down in illegal drug operations.

“PNP has a manpower network that extends from the towns to the barangays and that is a great plus in fighting the war on drugs,” Tabares said.

He said PDEA has very limited manpower and is in no position to assign operatives in each town and city in the region but can only form teams to operate in the provinces.

Because of lack of manpower, PDEA cannot effectively monitor all the towns and cities like the PNP can, he added.

According to Tavares, PDEA is the lead agency in the anti-drug campaign as mandated pursuant to Republic Act 9165, specifically to supervise all the anti-drug operation activities of other counterparts including the PNP.

Tavares said, the proliferation of shabu remains the number one problem of illegal drugs in the Region, followed by marijuana.

And based on PDEA’s intelligence, the supply of shabu being distributed in the region comes from National Capital Region, Regions 3 and 4, while the supply of marijuana comes from the Triangle of the North or the Tri-boundaries of La Union, Ilocos Sur and Benguet. (Nora Dominguez)

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