A total of 13,244 high-value targets (HVTs) have been arrested from July 1, 2016 to August 31, 2021, based on the latest “Real Number Data’’ of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
The arrests include 5,692 HVTs who were arrested from high impact operations; 3,696 target-listed suspects; 1,353 drug den maintainers; 791 drug group leaders/members; 498 government employees; 390 elected officials; 322 foreigners; 283 included on wanted lists; 120 uniformed personnel; 75 armed group members; and, 24 prominent personalities.
Anti-narcotics operatives also arrested 307,521 individuals involved in illegal drug transactions during the same period.
As of August 2021, the consolidated report showed that a total of 6,191 drug suspects were killed in the 213,504 anti-illegal drug operations.
From July 2016 to August 2021, law enforcers collared 3,922 minors broken down to 2,312 pushers, 942 possessors, 427 users, 212 visitors of drug den, nine drug den maintainers, 15 drug den employees, two cultivators, one clan lab employee, and two runners.
The report also revealed that authorities had dismantled a total of 875 drug dens with 18 clandestine shabu laboratories from July 2016 to August 2021.
In the same data P64.09 billion worth of illegal drugs were seized which included P52.96 billion worth of shabu.
At least 22,858 out of the 42,045 barangays (villages) have been declared drug-cleared as of August 31 while 12,477 yet to be cleared barangays.
These barangays have reached drug-cleared status after being issued with the certification from the Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug-Clearing Program.
The agency assured that the health and safety of its agents are prioritized in anti-drug operations.
PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva said that the “Barangay PDEA’’ program aims to promote a "balanced and humane" anti-drug campaign as it provides the public a more comprehensive platform of information on the harm reduction initiatives of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program (BDCP).
These include the community based Drug Rehabilitation Program and Balay Silangan that are both drug intervention programs for surrendering drug users and pushers that will help them re-integrate in the society to become productive citizens.
Villanueva assured that barangay captains (village chiefs) will be made answerable if they fail to establish their own Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs). (Chito A. Chavez)