The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) bared Sunday, April 14, that it has forged a partnership with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to strengthen the country’s defense against the entry of illegal drugs through its vast coastlines.
PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan and PDEA Director General Undersecretary Moro Virgilio Lazo signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) in Quezon City last April 12.
Under the agreement, the PDEA and the PCG agreed to cooperate relative to the interdiction of illegal drugs and controlled precursors and essential chemicals (CPECs) smuggled, transported and transshipped into the Philippine territory.
“Both parties have agreed to hold regular meetings for the purpose of discussing operational matters, the current status of the programs, and the formulation of necessary strategies to facilitate the accomplishments of the MOA’s objectives; and exchange best practices and knowledge on drug smuggling, transportation and transshipment,” the PCG said.
“In addition, PDEA shall establish a comprehensive information collection plan to obtain information on illegal drug activities from sources at all levels, and shall take the lead role in narcotics investigation and the conduct of anti-drug operations, while PCG shall assist the former in gathering, collecting, processing, and analyzing information to prevent the entry of illegal drugs through the coastlines,” it added.
The agreement also enabled the deputization of PDEA personnel so they could join the PCG in enforcement inspections of merchant ships and vessels within the ambit of its lawful authority.
Authorities have discovered that several drug shipments were being spirited into the country through the country’s 36,289-kilometer coastlines.
Last month, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it was monitoring suspected drug syndicates from South America who are using the Philippines as a transshipment point for smuggled illegal drugs.
Several drug shipments have been discovered by authorities floating in the country’s territorial waters in the previous years, the latest of which was on March 8 where 20 bricks of suspected cocaine valued at P111.8 million were seized off Arteche, Eastern Samar.