Abalos: Decriminalizing drug use won’t help gov’t’s anti-illegal drug campaign

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. on Thursday opposed the proposal to decriminalize drug use, saying it would not help the government in its campaign against illegal drugs.

Abalos issued his remark when asked about Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa's proposal to decriminalize the use of illegal drugs to decongest jails and address the problem of drug addiction as a health issue-- an idea that was backed by Senator Robin Padilla.

"With due respect, ang gera na nakikita ko ngayon, hindi makakatulong sa laban namin at hindi makakatulong sa mga bata, dahil nagsisimula yan nang maliliit. Pangalawa, magkakaroon ng technicality yan ikakalat lang nila nang maliliit sa iba-iba," Abalos said in an interview on Dobol B TV.

(With due respect, this proposal won't help our war against drugs because the problem starts from using small amounts of illicit drugs. Secondly, there could be some technicalities there because the dealers will just distribute small amounts of drugs to different areas.)

"Sana 'wag na lang. Ako kung itim, itim. Kung puti, puti, kung bawal, bawal at para sa akin bawal lahat 'to. Hulihin na lang natin," he added.

(I hope they will not push through with the proposal. Let's be clear about our stand. If drugs are declared prohibited, then it is prohibited. Let's just arrest the users.)

Second thoughts

After hearing some points of opposition to the bill, Dela Rosa said he is having second thoughts on his proposal.

Meanwhile, Abalos vowed to clean the law enforcement units amid the supposed return of ninja cops who are allegedly part of the drug syndicates as raised by Dela Rosa recently.

"Matagal na tong mga taong ito na nasa loob maski kanino pang panahon ito. Ang sa akin lang, mangangako ako sa inyo...lilinisin ko ito. Pangako ko po ito," Abalos said.

"Yun lang hinihiling ko sa inyo tulungan niyo ang PNP dito. Tulungan niyo kami rito dahil iba ang hakbangin dito sa mga susunod na araw may gagawin po kami rito. Isa lang patunay namin dito yung ginawa namin sa PDEA ng Philippine National Police," he added.

Abalos said the DILG is "on top of this" situation and they will release evidence-based information related to this problem.

In a privilege speech last Monday, Dela Rosa raised the need to continue the intensity of the Duterte administration's war against illegal drugs as he claimed that "drug syndicates are back and they are coming back with a vengeance."

The senator cited the arrest of a Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency officer and agents who were caught with a kilo of shabu in Taguig.

He also raised the case of the member of the Philippine National Police-Drug Enforcement Unit whose arrest led to the confiscation of P6.7 billion worth of shabu in Manila.

Dela Rosa said the policeman was one of the "ninja cops" who was assigned to Mindanao early in the Duterte administration in 2016.

"Ninja cops" refer to police officers who are themselves in the illegal drug trade, usually by supposedly "recycling" confiscated drugs to sell back on the street. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News