Partido Reporma presidential bet, Senator Panfilo Lacson declared that to win the war on drugs in the Philippines, focus should also be made in stopping the inflow of drugs from abroad.
Lacson has noted that the Duterte administration focused too much in enforcement, and neglected the equally important aspect of drug prevention and rehabilitation.
Once elected as president, Lacson would start at choking the supply coming in through ports.
“Kung napansin mo kapag may nahuling malaki, sunud-sunod. 3.ibig sabihin may nakalusot. At ang nalikop lang ng ating law enforcement, yung mga nahahabol nila. Gaano kalaki pa hindi nila nakikita, hindi nila nahuhuli?” Lacson said in an interview over DZRH’s Damdaming Bayan with Deo Macalma.
Lacson vowed to reform the Bureau of Customs, beginning with the automation of its systems.
“Of course kasama diyan yung paano nakalulusot yung tone-toneladang shabu, corruption din yun sa Customs. Saka yung kapabayaan, kasi hindi automated. Naka computerize nga pero hindi naman naka-automate yung kalakaran sa customs,” he said.
Lacson said this bring to mind the smuggling of some P11 billion pesos worth of shabu inside magnetic lifters which slipped into the country in June 2018.
Lacson expressed confidence on the formula to end the drug war that he crafted with Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
“Isa ito sa una naming pinagusapan ni Senate President Sotto noong nag-tandem kami. Tama si Senador Sotto, hindi lang puwedeng puro law enforcement, dapat holistic yung approach, kasama na ang prevention at rehabilitation,” Lacson said.
