DILG exec wants drug war continued

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is urging the next administration under presumptive president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to continue the war on drugs started by President Duterte.

DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing said it is important to continue the drug war to maintain peace and order and attract foreign investments.

“Investments increase because crimes, illegal drugs dropped,” he said in Filipino during a Laging Handa briefing.

The Duterte administration’s drug war has drawn criticism from local and international groups after thousands of drug suspects were killed.

P3 million ketamine seized

Anti-narcotics officers arrested a Taiwanese man and his Filipino companion after they accepted a package that contained 600 grams of ketamine, often used as a date rape drug, valued at P3 million during a controlled delivery operation in Makati City on Tuesday.

Cheng Hong Liao, 33, and Altrie Alonzo, 37, were arrested along Salamanca street in Barangay Poblacion at around midnight.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Central Luzon field unit said the package, which was declared as an air purifier, arrived at the Port of Clark last May.

Alonzo told the authorities Cheng instructed him to accept the package.

10 caught in sting

In Valenzuela, 10 people were arrested in a drug sting before dawn yesterday, according to the Northern Police District.

Mar Socorro, Crisel Bravo, Landrito Villegas, Edmar Perez, Rodolfo Masangya, Ruel Fernandez Jr., Clifford Austria, Ernesto Docil, Mauricio Doon and Juan Doon were arrested after Socorro allegedly sold a sachet of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu to an undercover police officer in Barangay Karuhatan.

At least 30 grams of shabu with a street value of P204,000 were confiscated from the suspects.

The suspects face charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. – Emmanuel Tupas, Ramon Lazaro, Marc Jayson Cayabyab