LEGAZPI CITY, Albay: Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has said the Philippine government is fighting hard against big drug syndicates across the country.

“The gravity of drug cases in the country is huge and these big drug syndicates affect the security of our families because there’s so much money [in it] and so many addicts on the road. Worst of all, drugs are even run by police and PDEA who sell drugs,” Abalos told The Manila Times.

The PDEA is the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Abalos said 68 to 70 percent of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) behind bars in the Philippines are facing illegal-drug cases.

According to the DILG secretary, 30 percent of the PDLs are recidivists.

Abalos underscored the importance of internal cleansing in the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and local government units (LGUs) down to the barangay (village) level.

He, however, said during a press briefing held at Police Regional Office 5 Maringal Lounge, Camp General Simeon Ola in Legazpi City on Friday, January 27, he is confident that the government will win the fight against illegal drugs.

“The fight against illegal drugs is not the sole responsibility of the government. We need the support of the people to get rid of illegal-drug operations. If we work together, we will not only fight this but we will win this fight against drugs,” Abalos said.

He flew to Albay on Friday to attend the provincial and regional launching of the Buhay Ingatan, Droga Iwasan (BIDA) program at Camp Simeon Ola.

BIDA is an advocacy program designed to reduce drug demand through empowering communities, engaging them in anti-illegal drug activities and raising public awareness on ill-effects of drugs to reduce drug proliferation and drug addiction at the community level.

Abalos said the PNP and other law enforcement agencies have a big role to play in the internal cleansing of the PNP, the BFP, the BJMP and the LGUs.

Since the internal cleansing began, according to him, some P10 billion worth of illegal drugs was seized across the country during the first six months of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in office.

During the period, he said, the PNP apprehended over 30,000 drug suspects, including police officers and members of the PDEA, in 24,000 illegal-drug operations.

Abalos had requested PNP colonels and generals to submit courtesy resignations as part of the government’s efforts to cleanse the police ranks and rebuild the organization’s reputation amid reports of continued existence of “ninja cops.”

Ninja cops are police officers involved in the illegal-drug trade, usually by supposedly “recycling” confiscated drugs and selling them back on the street.

In Bicol, BGen. Rudolph Dimas also told Abalos that the PNP regional command has tapped the youth in its campaign against illegal drugs through Kabataan Kontra Droga at Terrorismo.

At least 1,140 individuals joined the BIDA grand launching in Bicol on Friday, January 27, despite the heavy downpour.

The activity started with a unity walk and bike and fun rides.

The launching was also attended by various national government agencies, including the Philippine Information Agency, Philippine Statistics Office, PhilHealth, Social Security System, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of Tourism, National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources.