(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has given the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency the lead role in anti-illegal drug operations in the country, essentially stripping the Philippine National Police and others of their authority to conduct the same.
In a two-page memorandum, President Duterte said the PNP, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Bureau of Customs, the Philippine Postal Office “and all other agencies or any and all ad-hoc anti-drug task force(s)” were to “leave to the PDEA, as sole agency, the conduct of all (anti-illegal drug) campaigns and operations..”
He said all data or information received by these bodies “shall forthwith be relayed, delivered or brought to the attention of PDEA for its appropriate action.”
He particularly directed the PNP to also “at all times maintain police visibility as a deterrent to illegal drug activities..”
The directive—which comes after a series of controversies involving the police in alleged drug operations—was “in order to bring order to the operation/campaign against illegal drugs, thus pinpointing precise accountability,” Duterte said.