Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Wilkins Villanueva insisted on Tuesday, May 31, that the thousands of death in the government's drug war was because those who died put up a fight against anti-narcotics operatives.
“To the persistent critics (of the government’s drug war campaign) who contend that the drug war is a failure, I respect your right to free speech),’’ said Villanueva.
He then challenged the government’s drug war critics to investigate and ask the people ‘whose domiciles belong to the drug-cleared barangays on what they are enjoying right now.’
“You (critics) may have articulated your opinions based on what you see or heard in the news and not on actual experiences. In my book, no one else but the residents of drug-cleared communities make the best judge to tell precisely if the war on drugs is a success or not,’’ said Villanueva.
“The national anti-drug campaign has never been stronger until his (Duterte) administration came along, recognition was widely received in the local and international communities, criticisms included,’’ he added.
The PDEA chief explained that the “Barangay Drug Clearing Program (BDCP)’’ assumed the role of the catalyst under the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drug Strategy (PADS).
Villanueva explained that PADS embodies a ‘whole-of-the-nation approach in addressing the country’s drug menace.’’
“Spurring growth of healthy communities that are free from the ill effects of illegal drugs has become the holy grail of the BDCP,’’ Villanueva lamented.
He emphasized that the BDCP has enlisted the support of all the stakeholders, duty bearers and local government units (LGUs) in the conduct of the barangay drug clearing operations which earned “successful high impact’’ results. This, according to him, led to the billions of pesos worth of confiscated dangerous drugs and the arrest of high value targeted drug personalities which were considered as “large-scale accomplishments.’’
Villanueva said that the government put premium in saving lives in its intensified illegal drug campaign with the LGUs extending humanitarian assistance to the surrendering drug-using persons in the form of appropriate interventions and reformation programs.
Villanueva explained that the Duterte administration built community-based reformation centers that continued to flourish in the local communities. He said drug personalities were given a second chance.