AT least P89.79 billion worth of illegal drugs were seized and 6,252 suspects have been killed from July 1, 2016 to May 31 this year under the Duterte administration’s war against illegal drugs.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), in its “real numbers” released yesterday, said the seized illegal drugs included 11,911.44 kilos of shabu, valued at P77.01 billion.
The rest of the seized illegal drugs, worth P12.78, were composed of 530.24 kilos of cocaine, 163,549 pieces of ecstasy, and 10,523.07 kilos of dried marijuana leaves.
The PDEA said a total of 239,218 anti-narcotics operations were conducted during the period, leading to the seizure of the P89.79 worth of drugs, death of 6,252 suspects and arrest of 345,216 others.
The agency said 15,271 of the arrested suspects were high-value targets, including 533 government employees, 406 elected officials, 127 uniformed personnel and 364 foreigners.
PDEA said 4,414 children, aged four to 17, were also rescued during anti-drug operations.
It said the rescued children included 2,666 drug pushers and 1,012 possessors.
It said a total of 25,361 barangays have been cleared of illegal drugs during the period.
This brought to 10,112 the barangays that are still subject of its ongoing drug-clearing program.
President Duterte, at the start of his administration in 2016, vowed to end the country’s problem on illegal drugs. He later admitted that the campaign cannot be won.
Nevertheless, security officials said the campaign against illegal drugs under the Duterte administration was successful. — With Christian Oineza
