Robredo: China main source of illegal drugs in PHL

Most of the illegal drugs shipped to the Philippines come from China, if not Chinese citizens, Vice President Leni Robredo, new co-chair of the government's anti-narcotics body, said Thursday.

Robredo made the comments after meeting with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police officials at her office in her capacity as co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD).

“Gusto kong kumalap ng mas maraming datos, pero iyong pinaka-report sa atin ngayon, karamihan ng mga pumapasok na supply ng [iligal na droga] rito, galing China. ‘Yung mga nahuhuling nago-operate, napakarami ring Chinese nationals or Filipino Chinese,” Robredo said.

“That is something that we should look into.”

Prior to her meeting with DILG and PNP officials, Robredo met with United Nations and US Embassy officials to discuss measures addressing the illegal drug trade in the country.

Robredo said that she will reach out to more sectors, given that the illegal drug trade is a complex problem and has tapped into technology by using parcel and online gambling business for drug trade.

"There are a lot of information out there na hindi pa nakakarating sa akin. Pero marami talagang kailangan ayusin, and we will reach out to more people on how we can improve with what we have," Robredo said.

She admitted that the government would need "a lot of help" since the illegal drug problem involves transnational organizations.

"Hindi lang iyong US iyong kausapin, hindi lang iyong UN ang kausapin, pero kausapin iyong iba pang mga bansa na tingin natin makakatulong sa atin," Robredo said.

Robredo said they would look into which country could supply the Philippines the most "urgent" information on the issue.

"It can be any of the countries na hindi lang na mayroon tayong partnerships, pero who have also been helping us in the past as far as the campaign against illegal drugs is concerned," she said.

"Even before I was appointed, marami ng pagpapalit ng information with Chinese government, with many other governments."

The Duterte administration's anti-illegal drug campaign has drawn criticism from local and international human rights advocates, including Robredo, due to the high number of slain drug suspects — 5,500 according to government figures, but critics claim the number could go as high as 27,000.

Robredo was offered the ICAD post after she called on the administration to re-evaluate its anti-illegal drugs campaign. Although her camp had called the offer "problematic," Robredo accepted the appointment.

During her first meeting with the inter-agency body, Robredo urged its members to help stop the "senseless killings." —KBK, GMA News