(Eagle News) — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is set to formally join the government in its fight against illegal drugs, a year after President Rodrigo Duterte launched his crackdown on those selling the substances he said was the cause of high crime rates in general.
The rebel group is set to sign an “agreement of protocol cooperation” with the government Friday afternoon to formalize the move, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director Isidro Lapena said during the regular Mindanao Hour briefing.
Under the agreement, Lapena said MILF fighters will assist the government in the crackdown in areas “affected by conflict” with the rebel group.
“Law enforcers can’t just enter so we have to involve them para makasama sa drug campaign,” he said.
“This is a very good manifestation (of support) on the part of our MILF brothers, to help in our anti-drugs campaign,” he added.
Successful anti-drugs campaign
A year after the start of the crackdown, Lapena reported that the government has launched 64397 drug operations, which was 77 percent more than the 36466 conducted in a year’s time by the previous administration.
He said 86984 drug personalities have been arrested in a year’s time under the Duterte administration, a 364 percent increase from the 18766 arrested for the same period under the previous government.
The government has also arrested 302 government workers involved in drug-related activities, an increase of 211 percent from those arrested in the previous administration.
Nine clandestine labs–including two mega shabu labs–have been dismantled, compared to the three dismantled during the same period under the previous government, Lapena said.
He added there was n 85 percent increase in the number of drug dens dismantled under Duterte’s administration, and a 200 percent increase in the number of drug labs dismantled.
“The shabu seized is 2446 kilos, compared to the 820 kilos (seized in a year’s time during the) previous administration, a 198 percent increase,” he said.
He said the value of the shabu seized was 12.62 billion pesos, compared to before’s 0.94 billion pesos.
He said at present, 3677 barangays have been cleared of drugs, part of the more than 20000 barangays affected with drugs of the 42036 barangays in the country.
“These are the figures..We are successful,” Lapena said, noting the high marks the war against drugs and the Duterte administration have been getting in general, based on recent surveys held by the Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia.