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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Is Davao the center of illegal drug trade? Visayas congressman asks

Is Davao the center of illegal drug trade? Visayas congressman asks

Published Feb 17, 2025 09:50 am

At A Glance

  • Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre wondered out loud Monday, Feb. 17 if Davao had become the center of the drug trade in the country.

8FCA06C2-6A3D-494A-9B0E-A6E9407D355F.jpegTingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre (Dexter Barro II/MANILA BULLETIN)

A ranking congressman from Visayas wondered out loud Monday, Feb. 17 if Davao had become the center of the drug trade in the country.

This, as House Assistant Majority Leader Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre seriously questioned the veracity of former president Rodrigo Duterte's supposed relentless war on drugs in his native province of Davao.

“Bakit tila ang Davao na mismo ang sentro ng bentahan ng shabu? War on drugs nga ba ang isinulong, o war for drugs? (Why has Davao seemingly turned into the center or drug peddling? Was the past campaign called the war on drugs or the war for drugs?)” Acidre asked.

Acidre said Duterte's hardline stance against illegal drugs appeared to contradict the recent big-time confiscation of such substances in Davao.

Last Feb. 15, law enforcement agencies conducted an operation in Panabo City, Davao del Norte, wherein approximately 6.5 kilograms of "shabu" valued at ₱44.4 million were seized. Two suspects were also arrested.

Just a week earlier, authorities intercepted ₱6.9 million worth of illegal drugs at the Sirawan Entry Point in Toril District, Davao City. Additionally, on Jan. 10, two individuals were apprehended at a Davao City checkpoint with suspected shabu valued over ₱1 million.

Acidre expressed deep concern over these developments, as he noted a stark contradiction between the past Duterte administration’s aggressive anti-illegal drugs rhetoric and the current situation in Davao.

“Sa ganitong kalagayan, parang kinakain ni Digong ang mga salita niya tungkol sa iligal na droga (At this rate, its seems like Digong is eating his own words about illegal drugs),” the Tingog lawmaker stated.

Acidre asked: "Was the anti-illegal drugs image propagated by the Dutertes merely a facade to obscure more nefarious activities?"

In October 2024, former president Duterte himself admitted to operating a “death squad” during his tenure as Davao City mayor, tasked with eliminating criminals. Such disclosures have led to increased scrutiny of the region's true nature of anti-drug operations.

Acidre emphasized the necessity for accountability and transparency from former president Duterte and his affiliates.

“Ang publiko ay may karapatang malaman ang katotohanan. Imbes na magpakalat ng fake news, dapat patunayan ni ex-president Duterte na wala siyang kinalaman sa mga drug lord,” the lawmaker asserted.

(The public has the right to know the truth. Instead of spreading fake news, ex-president Duterte must prove that he had nothing to do with drug lords.)

Duterte is seeking a return to the mayoralty seat in Davao City in the 2025 mid-term polls.

Related Tags

Davao City War on drugs Tingog party-list jude acidre Rodrigo Duterte
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