The government will spare no one in its revitalized anti-drug campaign, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said.
Abalos made this assurance, saying the government and law enforcement agencies need to become “role models” in the campaign against illegal drugs.
“We have to make a statement. We are going to show our people that the government is serious about this war on drugs. There will be house cleansing, and no one will be spared,” he said in observance of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADAIT).
So far, at least 50 police officers have been slapped with criminal and administrative cases for allegedly committing irregularities in the seizure of P6.7 billion worth of “shabu” in October last year.
“We do not believe in shortcuts. We believe in the rule of law. Trust in government must be sustained,” Abalos said.
Abalos said the DILG is also pushing the conduct of random drug testing in the agency, its attached offices, and local governments in line with the department’s Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) Program.
The DILG launched the anti-illegal drugs advocacy program BIDA, describing it as an intensified and more holistic campaign from the grassroots up.
Abalos meanwhile said the theme of this year’s observance “People First: stop stigma and discrimination, strengthen prevention” is in line with the principle of the government’s Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) of putting primacy on prevention and rehabilitation. With Vince Lopez
“The aim of this year’s campaign is to raise awareness about the importance of treating people who use drugs with respect and empathy; providing evidence-based, voluntary services for all; offering alternatives to punishment; prioritizing prevention; and leading with compassion,” the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said of this year’s IDADAIT.