Manila — Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil announced on Sunday a significant shift in the national police force's strategy against illegal drugs, focusing more on dismantling supply sources rather than targeting individual users and small-time pushers.
According to Philippines News Agency, this recalibrated approach aims to address the drug issue more effectively and humanely by cutting off the supply chain that fuels the drug trade in the Philippines. "Our previous strategies concentrated too much on cutting off the heads, but we need to target the body- the entire supply chain and the sources driving the drug trade," he said in a statement. This method emphasizes human rights and seeks to reduce the violence associated with drug enforcement operations.
The new strategy involves enhanced intelligence operations and stronger community engagement to identify and dismantle major drug trafficking networks. "We are now focusing on high-value drug personalities and the movements of illegal drugs across the country. These are the real targets—those who orchestrate the trade and profit from it, not the street-level pushers and users, who are often victims of circumstance," explained Marbil.
Highlighting the importance of minimizing violence, the PNP chief added that the new strategy aims to preserve lives while aligning with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s objective of creating a safer and more secure Philippines. Marbil expressed his commitment to addressing the drug problem with "compassion, strategy, and adherence to the rule of law."
In related news, PNP officers recently seized illegal drugs valued at approximately PHP1.7 million in Negros Occidental. The operation led to the arrest of two suspects, known as "Ray-an" and "Madam," who were caught with 255 grams of suspected shabu during an early morning sting operation in Barangay Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City. Both suspects are now in police custody awaiting charges under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, while the seized substances have been sent to the Negros Occidental Provincial Forensic Unit for further processing.