New PDEA chief wants less drug ops, more reform programs
Newly-appointed Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) head Aaron Aquino on Tuesday said he wants less anti-drug operations and more efforts poured into "reforming" drug dependents.
"Let's stop 'yung operations, 'yung too much operations on drugs. Marami pa namang way on how to stop drug trade and that way is to reforming them," Aquino told reporters after the change of command ceremony at the PDEA National Headquarters in Quezon City.
"Puro na tayo operation. Tama na 'yon. I-reform naman natin sila, para mabigyan ng chance," he also said.
Aquino, who retired from the police force just last September 6, said he wants to construct reformation centers all over the country in which drug users and pushers who surrender to authorities will be given a chance to reform themselves.
Despite limited funding, Aquino said he was able to build 152 reformation centers in Central Luzon where he served as regional police chief due to the cooperation of the local government. He said some 18,000 drug users graduated from those centers.
"Ang pagkakaiba lang ng reformation sa rehabilitation is that pareho lang din naman, but 'yung reformation is just a short program, just about two to three months, while rehabilitation would entail six months minimum up to one year," he said.
He added that "if we will not reform these drug surrenderers, they will continue to commit crimes."
Aquino also said that anti-drug operations, if they are conducted, should focus on the source instead of targeting small-time drug peddlers.
"We're not doing anything, we did not enhance police visibility, checkpoints, we just focused on drugs but crimes went down. Why? Because these drug surrenders are the biggest contributors of crime. If we will not reform these, they will continue committing crimes," Aquino said.
Aquino said that he will seek the help of the Department of Interior and Local Government in order to implement the program.
"And I will try to ask him, the DILG, para ma-implement ito na dapat lahat may community-based reformation centers for these drug surrenderers," he said.
Aquino officially took over the leadership at PDEA on Tuesday succeeding Isidro Lapeña, who is now commissioner of the Bureau of Customs. —KBK/KVD, GMA News