President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. emphasized on Tuesday that his administration’s non-violent approach to tackling the country’s drug problem is beginning to yield positive outcomes.
Speaking after inspecting a massive cache of confiscated illegal drugs at the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) headquarters, Marcos highlighted that this “bloodless” strategy marks a shift from past methods and is now showing encouraging signs of success.
“We’re still fighting the war on drugs, but we’re doing it differently—without violence,” he said. “We’re seeing the benefits of this new approach.”
The President stressed that efforts are being made to disrupt the drug trade at all levels, adding that recent operations are bearing fruit.
One such operation led to the seizure of 1,304.604 kilograms of shabu, worth an estimated ₱8.87 billion, recovered off the coasts of Zambales, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and Cagayan. This, he said, marks the largest drug haul in recent Philippine history over a six-month span.
Over the past three years, authorities have intercepted an estimated ₱62 billion worth of suspected shabu, Marcos noted.
The President also confirmed that the seized drugs would be destroyed through thermal decomposition in Capas, Tarlac, ensuring they do not re-enter the illegal market.