The government’s drive to totally eradicate the rampant illegal drug trade in the country has changed under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following years of bloody campaigns under the previous administration.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said this Tuesday as he revealed the seizure of P6.7 billion worth of shabu in the first three months of the current administration without a single drop of bloodshed, proving that Mr. Marcos’ bloodless war against drugs is effective.
The P6.7 billion seized by authorities —including the recently confiscated 990 kilograms of suspected shabu following a series of anti-drug operations in Manila —is considered the biggest drug haul in the history of the country.
According to Abalos, the new approach to the drug war focuses on going after big illegal drug syndicates, not only the small ones.
Nabbed during the operations were a certain Ney Saligumba Atadero, 50, and Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo, owner of the lending firm Wealth and Personal Development Lending Inc. in Sta. Cruz, Maynila. Also seized was a sizable stash of drugs.
Likewise arrested were a certain Juden Francisco and seven others in Pasig City.
According to police records, Mayo is an intelligence officer of the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group.
Even during the first month of the Marcos administration, the PNP recorded seizing P1.9 billion in illegal drugs. These include 202.38 kilos of shabu, 365.4 kilos of dried marijuana leaves, more than 2.6 million pieces of fully grown marijuana plants, and 37.57 grams of kush or high-grade marijuana.
A total of 12,309 sting and search warrant operations led to the arrest of 14,737 suspects, including the first 17 days of September when the PNP recorded zero deaths in conducting 1,790 anti-drug operations.
Based on the report, the government does not tolerate extrajudicial killings, particularly of drug offenders.
“Arrests were made, but nobody was hurt in this classic, by-the-book police operation,” said PNP Chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. of the operation.
Abalos promised to continue the drug war under the Marcos administration under its new method, “wherein no blood will be shed and instead will focus on arresting drug dealers considered as ‘big fish.’”