PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Wilkins Villanueva on Thursday, February 4, 2021, said they were eyeing to use the money and properties confiscated during anti-illegal drugs operations.
“Magmo-motion tayo sa korte para ‘yung pera nila, magamit ng DDB (Dangerous Drugs Board) at PDEA para sa anti-drug operation o rehabilitation. Igigisa natin sila sa sarili nilang mantika,” Villanueva said in a press briefing during the destruction of illegal drugs and other paraphernalia in Valenzuela City.
Over P900 million worth of various illegal drugs and chemicals were destroyed during the said event.
Money, properties such as vehicles and cellular phones, and the seized illegal drugs are being used as evidence to support charges filed against arrested drug personalities.
Villanueva said drug syndicates operating in the court earns as much as P100 million per year.
He said they were strengthening their coordination with the Anti-Money Laundering Council for the freezing of the accounts of arrested high-value drug targets.
“Ang pinakadulo, pinupuntahan natin ngayon ang balon kung saan ang pinaglalagyan ng pera nila. Marami pa kaming ipi-freeze on the pipeline na mga ari-arian ng mga nahuli nating sindikato,” Villanueva said.
“Nakita na natin ngayon kung sino ‘yung nagmamay-ari ng account. Isa doon nagwi-withdraw na ng account niya, hindi niya alam, alam na namin… we are hitting hard on them and that’s what we commit to the President,” he added.
As to how they are able to identify where high value targets keep their money, Villanueva said, “I assure everybody, ‘pag nanghuli kami ngayon, sigurado ‘pag nakakuha kami ng ebidensya, idederecho namin siya kung saan nila pinaglalalagay ang kanilang pera.”
Villanueva said the Golden Triangle remains the top drug syndicate in the country.
As of December 31, 2020, a total of 188,603 drug operations have been conducted by law enforcers, which resulted in the arrest of 273,014 drug suspects and the death 6,011 others.
A total of P57.30 billion worth of illegal drugs were seized during the operations, while 697 drug dens and clandestine laboratories were dismantled.
Of the 42,045 total barangays in the country, 20,946 were considered cleared from illegal drugs. (SunStar Philippines)