PDEA: UN report on RP as bigtime shabu supplier inaccurate

06/30/2009

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency clarified that the production and consumption of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu is prevalent only in specific countries and not in all countries of the world. This, in reaction ot the World Drug Report issued by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), citing that “the Philippines ranks fifth in terms of shabu seizures from 1998 to 2007 and remains a significant source of the illegal drug.”

PDEA Director General Dionisio Santiago yesterday clarified that shabu production and abuse are endemic only to the areas of East and Southeast Asia and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand and Canada).

The European, Latin American and many other countries were not included in these statistics.

He said the UN report is accurate to say that the Philippines is No. 5 worldwide in terms of shabu production.

The PDEA chief added: “They are talking about history. What’s more disappointing is that they based their statement on law enforcement accomplishments, which are supposedly positive indicators.”

UNODC cited nine clandestine laboratories and 13 chemical warehouses dismantled in 2007, thus indicating a rise in figures that replicated the 2003 and 2004 statistics on clandestine laboratories and chemical warehouses busted by authorities.

A more interesting fact is that the 2007 figures were the result of the agency’s strategic shift in operational thrusts, focusing on intelligence driven operations and high value targets as ordered by Director General Santiago.

The PDEA Chief claimed that all this happened when manpower was at an all-time low with only 105 organic personnel.” The five-year transition period ended on July 5, 2007.

Police officers and personnel who were on detailed service from the Philippine National Police along with those from other law enforcement agencies were returned to their respective mother units.

“This paved the way for the emergence of the real PDEA. We were able to prove that much can be achieved despite limited manpower and resources.

Santiago added that the agency’s operational thrusts and strategies are focused on high value international and local targets, thus having an impact on the national and international drug situation.

“These personalities are wanted worldwide by different law enforcement counterparts and through our collaborative efforts, we were able arrest them here in the Philippines,” the PDEA Chief concluded. Gina Peralta-Elorde

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