PDEA exceeds 2015 targets in war on drugs

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) exceeded its targets in the anti-illegal drugs efforts in 2015, the agency’s operational highlights reports submitted to the Commission on Audit (COA) showed. 

The data, released by COA on Friday, August 26, highlighted the improvement of the arrests of drug personalities and the successes of anti-illegal drugs operations across the Philippines, among others.

Created through Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, PDEA is the “single-mission agency” leading all law enforcement agencies in the national anti-illegal drugs campaign in the Philippines. 

It is also the the implementing arm of the policy body Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).

Drug personalities arrested

PDEA arrested over 2,377 drug personalities in 2015, according to the report.

Also included were 1,379 individuals considered as “high-value targets (HVTs)” who were “collared and charged in court.”

The year-end figures surpassed its target for the year, which it had set at 1,320 arrests and 660 HVTs – almost 116% higher.

The number of arrests of drug personalities and HVTs have been rising steadily in recent years. In 2014, 1,050 HVTs captured and charged in court.

Level up coordination with LGUs

In addition, PDEA also doubled the target number of anti-drugs operations. From its target of 760 at the start of 2015, there were 1,391 operations that were eventually conducted by year-end. 

The agency also exceeded the yearly target number of 121 high-impact operations (HIOs) against drug trafficking groups. In 2015, the agency successfully conducted 262 HIOs.

In 2014, PDEA undertook 188 high-impact raids and operations.

Contributing to the success of anti-drug operations, according to the report, were the improved coordination between PDEA and local government units (LGUs) and barangays (villages). 

Because of the upgraded communications and strategies, the agency was able to respond within an hour after receiving information in 93% or 10,483 cases out of 11,035 reported information. 

Slow procurement

Despite the accomplishments in its anti-illegal drugs operations, PDEA is still having problems when it comes to procurement of crucial equipment. 

In its report, COA called out the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (DBM-PS) for failing to deliver on time important equipment and supplies to PDEA. 

The undelivered items amounting to P32,462,280 ($690,686)*, which the report said had been paid for by the agency, included machinery, firearms, and ammunition, motor vehicles, laboratory equipments, office supplies, and narcotics sniffing canines. 

The state auditors added that some of the items, totalling almost P16 million ($344,534), should have already been delivered to PDEA in 2007. 

But until year-end of 2015, PDEA had yet to receive the items. 

COA fears that because of the delay, the per item cost may have gone up – risking the quantity of the items needed just to be within the budget. 

“Lack of proper coordination with the DBM-PS on the proper application of advances to preceding procurement, cumulatively ties up government funds to an unproductive undertaking,” the COA said.

The state auditors recommended that DBM-PS fulfills its obligations in the procurement of needed items by PDEA. – Rappler.com

*US$1=P47