APRIL 25, 2012 DATE

NR # 2720B
REF. NO.

Lawmakers want to amend the Dangerous Drugs law

With drug abuse and drug trafficking unabated even in the remotest barangays of the country, lawmakers have filed a bill amending the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 by intensifying the anti-drug campaign of the government. The proposed amendments are contained in House Bill 5973 authored by Reps. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan deo Oro City), Maximo Rodriguez, Jr. (Party-list, Abante Mindanao), and Jeffrey Ferrer (4th District, Negros Occidental). It is high time to institutionalize the support mechanism of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to the lead agency, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Rodriguez said. Rodriguez said the anti-illegal drug campaign has been weakened by the evolving misconception that the drug problem is no longer a PNP or NBI concern but solely of PDEA. Under the bill, Rodriguez said the PDEA shall be the lead agency in the anti drug campaign. Rodriguez said the PNP, NBI and the BOC shall maintain their respective permanent and regular anti-illegal drugs unit to strengthen their support mechanism to PDEA. The PNP, NBI and BOC shall coordinate and inform the lead agency of their anti-drug operations within 24 hours after the termination of the investigation and actual custody of the suspects or seizure of any dangerous drugs and controlled precursor and essential chemicals. There must be a holistic approach and consolidated efforts between and among the law enforcement agencies since the drug problem remains a law enforcement/police concern, and the PDEA, in reality, cannot address the drug problem without the indispensable support of other law enforcement agencies, Rodriguez said. Rodriguez said the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (PNP-AIDSOTF), the NBI Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force (NBI-AIDTF) and the Bureau of Customs Task Force were created pursuant to Executive Order 218 to strengthen the support mechanism for PDEA. However, Rodriguez said despite its interim nature and lack of regular funding, the PNP-AIDSOTF and the NBI-AIDTF still exist and continue to perform its anti-illegal drug operations in support of PDEA. Their accomplishments were noted to include the arrest and eventual convictions of Mayor Ronnie Mitra and Amin Imam Boratong, the discovery and dismantling of multi-million peso clandestine laboratories and the arrest of members of the West African Drug Syndicates, Rodriguez said. Rodriguez said the PNP and the NBI are still looked upon by the public as law enforcement agencies primarily responsible for the conduct of anti-illegal drugs operations especially in remote areas. Their decades of experience and expertise in the anti-drug campaign should not be undermined, Rodriguez said. (30) dpt