BERLIN, Germany — President Marcos said his administration is making progress when it comes to fighting illegal drugs in the country as he stressed that he is against how the previous administration handled the problem.

Marcos said this after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz asked Marcos about his approach to the illegal drug trade in the Philippines in relation to the infamous drug war of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who hit Marcos the day before amid the ongoing talks on charter change.

In his remarks, the President recognized that illegal drugs remain a problem in the Philippines but said his government has made strides in addressing the issue.

"It’s a big problem, but our approach has changed significantly," Marcos told Scholz during their bilateral meeting at the Chancellery here in Berlin on Tuesday, March 12 (Germany time).

"I diametrically opposed to handling the drug problem in that way, by confrontation, by violence and it really requires so much, more much deeper understanding on the problem and the much deeper solution. So, yes, I think that we are also progressing when it comes to that," he added.

President Marcos noted that part of the reforms is the reorganization of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to flush out some of the police officers involved “in some of the more nefarious practices” that were undertaken during Duterte's administration.

He added that his administration has already lessened the problem of illegal drug operations in the Philippines.

“We are starting to move them out, and some of them have already been tried and convicted, now in jail and serving their time," he said.

"It’s a difficult problem because it’s the money involved is so much that it’s hard for the government to compete with the kind of money that’s been thrown around by the drug lords,” he added.