Senators on Monday, August 12 welcomed the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) new approach to the country’s anti-illegal drugs campaign which is now focused on demolishing drug supply chains than targeting street-level pushers and users. 

“I agree and support this new strategy,” Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said. 

“From the start, we should have focused on the supply chain given that the raw materials for shabu and cocaine mostly come from abroad and I have always questioned why the PNP catches only the petty pushers and not a single, or several, big drug lord/s,” Escudero pointed out.

“If the PNP succeeds in this, it will make the supply of drugs scarce and price prohibitive for new and old users and hopefully, lower the prevalence of drugs and the number of drug users in the country,” the Senate chief said. 

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III also welcomed the PNP’s move. 

“Correct yan (That is right). Target the ‘suppliers.’ Diyan mahahanap ang tunay na drug lords  (One can find the real drug lords with that kind of strategy),” Pimentel said. 

Sen. Risa Hontiveros said that besides a public health approach, she has long pushed for a rules-based, modern strategy in implementing the country’s anti-narcotics law. 

“Isang estratehiyang direktang tatarget sa mga organized drug syndicates at sa iba pang krimeng kaakibat ng malakihang operasyon ng droga, tulad ng money laundering, extortion, at narco trafficking (And it's a strategy that directly targets organized drug syndicates and other crimes linked to massive drug operations, like money laundering, extortion and narco-trafficking),” Hontiveros said. 

“But solving a problem of this magnitude requires a comprehensive, holistic strategy,” she said.

Hontiveros said targeting dealers and syndicates is just one aspect of the anti-illegal drug campaign, but it’s also crucial to address the demand side through harm reduction, treatment, and prevention.

 

“Napatunayan na ng kasaysayan na hindi epektibo ang ‘Oplan Tokhang’ (History has proven that the war on drugs was not effective),” she said referring to the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.

“Umaasa ako na magiging mas matibay at mas makatao ang pagpapatupad ng bagong stratehiya na ito na matagal nang dapat pinagtuunan ng pansin. Patuloy din kaming magbabantay sa pagpapatupad nito (I hope that the implementation of this new strategy will be stronger and more humane that should have been focused on for a long time. We will also continue to monitor its implementation),” she said. 

PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said the PNP is now focusing on high-value drug personalities and the movements of illegal drugs across the country. 

Marbil said that the PNP’s real targets would be those who orchestrate the trade and profit from it, not the street-level pushers and users “who are often victims of circumstance.”