Saying the drug problem has not been eradicated, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to go after large-scale sources of illegal drugs and quickly destroy seized narcotics to prevent them from slipping back into the streets again.

In his latest podcast interview, President Marcos acknowledged that the problem of illegal drugs persists and ordered PNP chief P/Gen. Nicolas Torre III needs to get to the bottom of this.

“We still have a drug problem in this country. Siyempre pumapasok pa rin ‘yung shabu. So, sabi ko, you (Torre) continue to – pero ‘yung hulihin ninyo ‘yung malalaki. At saka puntahan ninyo kung saan pumapasok. Iyon ang isara natin. And we’re slowly doing that,” the President said on Wednesday.

The Chief Executive also directed the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to help the police prevent attempts to smuggle drugs into the country.

The confiscated narcotics should be quickly and completely destroyed, ordered the President.

“Bantayan na ninyo kasi ayokong bumalik sa merkado ‘yan. Sirain na ninyo kaagad as quickly as possible. And make sure na nandoon kayo para ‘pag sinabing so many tons, ilang tonelada, ‘yun talaga ang nandiyan. Hindi nababawasan. Bilangin ninyo nang husto, tapos buhusan niyo ng gasolina, sunugin na ninyo,” President Marcos said.

Over the past few weeks, law enforcement authorities have seized nearly 1,300 kilos of shabu worth around PhP8.775 billion found by fishermen in packages left floating in waters off Zambales, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, and Cagayan.

While focusing on big sources of drugs, President Marcos also ordered law enforcers to keep small-time dealers from returning to the streets.

“May balita na bumabalik-balik sa mga bara-barangay ‘yung mga small time. Kaya ‘yung Cops on the Beat, that’s the solution to that. Kasi nagpapatrolya sila,” the President said. | PND