By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA -- Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II ordered the National
Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to join
the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and other law enforcement
agencies in anti-illegal drugs operations.
In Department Order No. 778 issued Wednesday, Aguirre granted NBI the
authority to conduct investigation and case build-up for violation of Republic
Act No. 9165 otherwise known as “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Acts of 2002”.
“The NBI through its Director, Atty. Dante Gierran is directed to
submit a monthly report to the office undersigned on its current activities
related to implementation of this order,” Aguirre said in his order.
This order revoked DO 670 dated October 13, 2017 which directed NBI to
leave to PDEA all operations against illegal drugs.
On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte signed a memorandum ordering the
Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies to rejoin
the government's anti-illegal drugs campaign.
Aside from the PNP and NBI, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau
of Customs, and Philippine Postal Corporation will also provide active support
to PDEA which will remain as the lead agency in the anti-drug war.
The new order supersedes an earlier memorandum issued by Duterte on
Oct. 10, 2017, directing “NBI, PNP or any and all anti-illegal drugs task force
to yield to the PDEA as the sole agency in the conduct of operations of all
those who are involved in, or connected to illegal drugs.”
The issuance of the October memorandum aims to pinpoint precise
accountability following allegations from some sectors that summary killings of
anti-illegal drugs suspects have been perpetrated by law enforcement agencies,
including the PNP.
In ordering the PNP and other law enforcement agencies to rejoin anew
in the war against illegal drugs, the President said that while PDEA has made
significant strides in the government’s anti-illegal campaign, the agency “has
been seriously hampered in performing its huge mandate by lack of resources,
specifically agents, and operatives who can penetrate drug-infested areas down
to the municipal and barangay levels.”
The memorandum likewise said there had been a notable resurgence of
illegal drugs in the Philippines as well as crimes committed since the PNP and
the other law enforcement agencies yielded to PDEA the conduct of all
anti-illegal drugs operations.
From the time it was given the sole responsibility in the conduct of
anti-drug operations, PDEA conducted a total of 2,161 anti-drug
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