The Illegal drug trade will continue in the country as long as there are people addicted to them, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Wilkins Villanueva said on Wednesday night, Mar. 2.

Villanueva made the comment when pressed why illegal drugs from foreign distributors continue to flock the country despite the Duterte administration’s all-out war against dangerous drugs.

“Hindi talaga mauubos yan (illegal drugs) hanggang may adik sa Pilipinas. Hanggang may adik tayo papasukin pa rin tayo ng droga (This will not really run out as long as there are addicts in the Philippines. As long as there are addicts, illegal drugs will continue to enter the country),’’ Villanueva pointed out.

Prior to the Duterte administration, Villanueva stressed that there were four million drug addicts but the situation in the country has improved tremendously, specifically pointing to the government’s barangay drug clearing program.

“Doon talaga tayo papunta (drug clearing) hanggang ubusin talaga natin. Mabigyan natin ng second chance itong mga adik na ito para hindi na sila gagamit (illegal drugs) pero habang may adik, meron droga maniwala kayo (This is where we are going until the illegal drugs are gone. We give the addicts a second chance to spare them from using drugs anew but while there are addicts there will always be illegal drugs, believe me),’’ he emphasized.

“Dapat yung US (United States) eh tapos na dapat sa droga. Eh hanggang ngayon meron pa rin eh. Mas mayaman sila sa atin (The US should have solved their illegal drug woes. But until now that remains a problem for them. They are a much richer country than us),’’ Villanueva added.

Further, Villanueva noted the country’s improved illegal drug campaign with only 11,129 out of the 42,045 barangays remaining drug-affected, adding that PDEA in cooperation with the other law enforcement agencies gearing for more barangays to be drug cleared.

“At least bago grumaduate ang ating Presidente at least mabawasan pa yang 11,129 barangays (before the President ends his term at least the 11,129 barangays drug affected barangays will be further reduced),’’ Villanueva noted.

Villanueva noted that what they are doing right now in their bid to thwart the entry of illegal drugs in the country is the “holistic approach’’.

“Just like what happened in Zambales. Sa Zambales 500 kilos pumasok. Hindi dumaan sa (Bureau of) Customs yun (In Zambales 500 kilos got through. This did not get through Customs),’’ Villanueva disclosed that this was coursed through the waters.

The PDEA chief emphasized that big-time drug dealers finding the unlawful trade lucrative will find ways to deliver their contraband to the drug addicts with illegal drugs equivalent to large sums of money. (Chito A. Chavez)