President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday directed law enforcement agencies to intensify operations against both big drug syndicates and small-time pushers while noting the administration’s successful anti-drug campaign.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Marcos said he received information that drug pushers are becoming active again.

“Sa tatlong taon lamang, halos mapantayan na ang kabuuang huli noong nakaraang Administrasyon. Sa kabila ng mga ito, tila nagbabalikan daw ang mga pusher,” the President said.

“Kaya, patuloy ang ating mga operasyon laban sa mga drug dealer, sila man ay big-time o small-time,” President Marcos declared.

The Chief Executive gave the order while his administration accomplished some of the biggest drug seizures in the country’s history that resulted in the confiscation of more than PhP83 billion worth of narcotics in the past three years alone.

The amount of drugs seized just three years into the Marcos administration has nearly matched the total haul from the previous administration’s entire six-year term.

The President, however, lamented that among those arrested in the operations are 677 government employees, more than 100 elected officials, and more than 50 police personnel. | PND