House Dangerous Drugs Committee Chairman Rep. Robert Ace Barbers urged law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant against drug activity during the election period.
“I am urging officials of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and other government anti-drug agencies not to let their guards down in their campaign during the election period,” said the Surigao del Norte 2nd district representative in a press statement on Wednesday, March 17.
This, as he claims to have received information pertaining to “drug lords” buying influence from candidates in the upcoming 2022 polls on May 9.
“It is a fact that drug lords befriend and buy influence from some politicians and other government officials–from the national to the local level–who they expect in return to coddle and protect them in the future in exchange for drug money in their campaign kitties,” Barbers added.
According to Barbers, election periods tend to see high levels of drug activity given that law enforcement and military are more focused on “peacekeeping and order campaigns".
Barbers also added that employees of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and law enforcement units assigned to airports and seaports must be more vigilant of any attempts to smuggle illegal substances into the country.
Last March 15, about P11 billion worth of "shabu" hidden inside tea bags was seized by the NBI from 10 suspects in Infanta, Quezon. This was the largest drug bust ever in Philippine history.