The new co-chairman of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) on Saturday vowed to pursue a tougher approach to the administrations anti-narcotics campaign, with an aim to reduce the supply of illegal drugs entering and circulating in the country within President Rodrigo Dutertes term.

PACC Chairman Dante Jimenez

In a phone interview, ICAD co-chairman Dante Jimenez said he wanted a working committee and a tough law enforcement with strategies to further improve the drug demand and supply reduction program of the government.

He added that he would meet with his co-chairman, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Aaron Aquino, as well as the other member-agencies of the committee to discuss his plans.

Definitely dito sa labang ito tough law enforcement ang gagawin (we should have a tough law enforcement in this fight). I will meet with all these member-agencies. Being the co-chairman, mag-usap kami ni Aaron (I will talk to Aaron) and I will make them work. I want a working committee, hindi yung display lang. Hindi pwede yun (not just a display. I will not allow that), Jimenez told The Manila Times.

We have to be tough against these druglords. It (drug war) has to be tough. Tough stance ang gagawin natin diyan (We will pursue a tough stance), more tougher than before, he said.

Jimenez, founding chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption before he assumed leadership of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, believed his experience as anti-crime advocate would be helpful in the governments campaign against illegal drugs.

With my experience in fighting illegal drugs for 29 years since the killing of my brother, my plan is, number one, we should cut the supply because that is the best strategy to cut the demand, he said.

Jimenez also pushed for the amendment of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 to ensure transparency, safety and security in handling illegal drugs seized during operations.

Ang problema ng supply kasi (The problem of the supply) is, one, yung confiscated drugs, minsan nababawasan ng mga confiscator (the confiscated drugs were sometimes recycled by the confiscators). In that way, pagnakakakuha sila ng ilang mga kilos diyan, gagamitin nila sa operations or gagamitin nila sa mga (when they get for instance a few kilos there, they will use it in the operations or they will use it in their) illegal activities . So that is bad, Jimenez said.

So thats why this is the job of the law enforcement, yun ang nakikita ko so far how to ensure na ma-destroy yan (thats I think the best way to ensure that all confiscated drugs will be destroyed). Thats the ultimate way, he added.

Jimenez also proposed a close coordination with the so-called Golden Triangle region, which borders the countries of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, to address the drug problem in the region.

Question, can it be done in two and a half years? Perhaps, we could start the structure, he said.

Aquino, who also serves as Jimenezs co-chairman in the ICAD, earlier said most of the shabu shipped to the Philippines came from the Golden Triangle region, not from China as earlier claimed by Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo.

The main source of course depends on the illegal drugs. Meth or shabu in the past are mostly coming from China, but not now most are coming from the Golden Triangle region that borders Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar, Aquino has said.

Robredo, who held the post as drug czar for only 19 days, had said she has received reports that the illegal drugs that enter the country are from China.

She added that most of the big-time drug suspects were either Chinese or from the Filipino-Chinese community, saying the issue needed to be looked into.

Duterte earlier named Robredo as co-chairman of ICAD on October 31, 2019, after the latter claimed that the governments crackdown on illegal drugs was obviously not working.

Robredo was supposed to help her ICAD co-chairman, Aquino, in addressing the drug menace in the country until June 30, 2022.

She was, however, fired as drug czar on November 24 last year for failing to present new measures to improve the governments fight against illegal drugs.

WITH REPORT FROM DARWIN PESCO

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Jimenez: Tougher stance on drug war The Manila Times - The Manila Times