Dela Rosa pushes bill creating anti-drug abuse councils
Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is seeking passage of the bill that would institutionalize the Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ADAC) to ensure continuity of the Duterte administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.
(Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa / Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
In filing Senate Bill No. 1952, Dela Rosa said it is necessary to establish ADACs in provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays to effectively eradicate illegal drugs and maintain the government’s anti-narcotics policies.
“In view of the continuous effort of the Duterte administration, active and unified involvement of various government and non-government agencies is necessary to sustain and ensure that all local government units (LGUs) will be free from illegal drug activities, one of the major problems in the country,” Dela Rosa said in the explanatory note of the measure.
Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, said the experiences of Davao City and Quezon City have shown that having a dedicated council that gives priority to anti-illegal drugs program is an effective tool to prevent the proliferation of illegal drugs.
The senator, who spearheaded the Duterte government’s “Oplan: Tokhang” during his stint as PNP chief, said establishment of the ADACs will also aid the government in attaining drug-free Philippines by 2022.
“The proposed measure seeks to institutionalize the ADAC. The Council will act as the main implementing organs for the prevention, rehabilitation, and monitoring of drug dependency cases,” he said.
“This was effectively implemented in the City of Davao during the mayoralty of President Rodrigo Duterte,”
“Similarly, Senate President Vicente Sotto III also founded the Quezon City Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council when he was still the vice mayor of Quezon City,” the lawmaker noted.
Under the bill, LGUs are mandated to review, approve, and implement a comprehensive Local Anti-Drug Abuse Plan of Action — as recommended by the ADAC — to eliminate drug affectation with corresponding targets per quarter.
The bill also seeks to establish the ADAC as a mutli-sectoral council composed of local officials and representatives of various community organizations tasked to lead the planning and implementation and monitoring of all local anti-drug abuse programs, projects, and activities.