DILG Sec. Jonvic Remulla – Photo courtesy of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)/Facebook.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on Tuesday that the anti illegal drugs campaign under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been more effective than the previous administration’s approach.
Speaking at a briefing, Remulla said the current strategy focuses on law enforcement within legal bounds rather than relying on killings to curb the drug problem.
He said earlier efforts failed to eliminate illegal drugs despite the high number of deaths recorded during that period.
Remulla maintained that the present campaign has reduced the supply of illegal drugs, describing it as a more sustainable way of addressing the issue.
Government data showed that about 6,000 people died during the previous administration’s anti drug operations, although rights groups placed the figure significantly higher.
A study by the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center, however, reported that more than 1,100 drug related deaths were recorded from mid 2022 to March 2026.
Remulla also cited higher volumes of seized illegal drugs, noting that authorities intercepted nearly 30 tons from 2022 to 2026, compared to about 12.5 tons in the earlier period.
He attributed the increase to closer coordination among law enforcement agencies and said stricter procedures are now in place to ensure proper handling and disposal of confiscated drugs.
