This is to announce that the President approved a memorandum order directing the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies, including the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Customs (BoC), Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost), to resume providing active support to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the conduct of anti-illegal drug operations.

The President recognizes the significant strides PDEA has made in the government’s anti-illegal campaign but it has been seriously hampered in performing its huge mandate by lack of resources, specifically agents and operatives who can penetrate drug-infected areas down to the municipal and barangay levels.

The President’s memorandum order is likewise in response to a clamor from the public to restore to the PNP and other law enforcement agencies the responsibility of providing active support to the PDEA. There has been a notable resurgence in illegal drug activities and crimes since the PNP and other law enforcement agencies were directed to leave to the PDEA the conduct of all anti-illegal campaigns and operations.

While PNP and other law enforcement agencies will provide active support in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, PDEA shall continue to be the overall lead agency pursuant to Republic Act No. 9165. PDEA, as Chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), shall coordinate all government efforts in this regard.

The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) shall remain as the policymaking and strategy formulating body in the planning and formulation of policies and programs on drug prevention and control.