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[av_heading heading=’Palace hits back at Aquino over drug war remark ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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Thursday, August 3, 2017
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MANILA – Former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s critique of the war on drugs of the Rodrigo Duterte administration was met with a sharp comment from Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella.
Aquino on Tuesday raised doubt on the effectiveness of the intensified antidrug campaign, saying “it seems like nothing happened” as he compared present statistics with those during his time as chief executive.
Such remarks “from past leaders imply a jaded cynicism borne of a history of political opportunism,” Abella said on Wednesday.
The success of the current all-out war on drug trafficking speaks for itself, he said.
More than 1.3 million suspected drug dealers and users across the country have surrendered to the government, said Abella.
The Palace official said “96,703 drug personalities have been arrested in the first year of the present administration … compared to the 77,810 … arrested in the six years of the previous administration.”
Moreover, 2,445.80 kilos of shabu were seized in Duterte’s first year in office compared to 3,219.07 kilos during the entire Aquino administration, said Abella.
“Much ground has been gained in the campaign against hard drug traffickers and violators, but the mission is to end the demand, production, distribution, and sale of illegal drugs,” he said.
On Tuesday, Aquino said his administration did not launch an “all-out war” but managed to reduce the number of drug users.
Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) data estimated the number of drug users when he assumed office at 1.7 million, and his administration was able to bring it down to 1.3 million mid-term, only to see it rise back to 1.8 million in 2015, he said.
A dismissed DDB board chair also said there are currently 1.8 million drug users in the country, Aquino said, referring to Benjamin Reyes, who was fired in May for supposedly contradicting the government’s official data.
“During my term, there were 1.8 million drug users. Now, despite an all-out campaign against illegal drugs, there are still 1.8 million drug users, according to a government survey,” the former president said in an ambush interview at the Manila Memorial Park.
The 2015 statistics said there were 1.8 million users, and statistics by 2016’s end also showed the same figure, Aquino said. “It seems like nothing happened.”
Pressed if he believes this means Duterte’s antidrug campaign is ineffective, Aquino said: “I don’t know, but it would be better if there is an explanation why the numbers are exactly the same.” (With a report from ABS-CBN News/PN)
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