Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino senatorial candidate Juan Ponce Enrile has called on police and military authorities to improve intelligence gathering amid the entry of more illegal drugs in the country during his campaign in Cavite on Wednesday.
Enrile, former defense minister of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, said at the sidelines of his rally in the province that a porous border needs a more agile military and police.
If elected back to the Senate, he vowed to push for a higher budget for the police and military establishments so that they could purchase more border patrols boats, and modern intelligence gathering equipment.
“We need more equipment, patrol boats, helicopters, and stronger intelligence to arrest big-time drug lords. In this so-called war on drugs, we must be willing to put the money where our mouth is to enforce the law,” Enrile said.
Enrile made the statement following the admission by President Rodrigo Duterte that the drug menace has worsened and that more and more drugs are coming in.
The veteran lawmaker noted that big shabu shipments amounting to billions of pesos have recently been seized by the police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
The former Senate President commended the authorities for that, but called for a speedier probe into the incidents.
“Nasaan yung mga taong nasa likod nito? It is not enough that we seize the contraband. People behind these should be held accountable, brought to court, and convicted,” he said.
However, Enrile warned that the evidence must be “studied carefully” so that the correct perpetrators are caught.
On Wednesday, Enrile welcomed supporters who joined him in a motorcade passing through the cities of Bacoor, Imus, Trece Martires, Indang, and Tagaytay in the province.
He also paid courtesy visits to Bacoor City Mayor Lani Mercado Revilla, Imus City Mayor Emmanuel Maliksi, and Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla.