MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) will remain steadfast in the campaign against illegal drugs and focus on prevention and education among the youth even under a new administration.

Amid concerns that the campaign may weaken once President Rodrigo Duterte steps down from office, PNP officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. said the PNP would continue and improve the program without letup.

“We would like to enhance and revive our clear program, where you can see drug abuse education and rehabilitation,” Danao added.

He has tasked the police commanders to coordinate with the local government units and the Department of Health on the rehabilitation of drug users.

“This is already a law implemented before the previous administrations. So we would like to revive that because that is more of the prevention and education, to prevent the children or have them avoid saying no to drugs, yes to God and yes to sports,” he said.

“So if we can pull them or tug them in the right direction, especially the victims of these illegal drugs, then our focus will be there rather than on the solution itself. As I said, the war on drugs continues even up to the upcoming administration,” Danao added.

Earlier, Dutete had asked his successor to continue the government’s war on drugs.

For his part, PNP director for operations Maj. Gen. Valeriano de Leon said the PNP has developed a new strategy to prevent illegal drug syndicates from having the opportunity to continue their illegal operations.

De Leon said the aggressive operations and law enforcement would be backed by an equally aggressive information drive and education campaign aimed at students, who are often the target customers of illegal drug syndicates.

The new policy, De Leon said, focuses on rehabilitation and reintegration for drug dependents. Some groups and individuals have expressed concern in recent days about the future of the war on drugs as the end of President Duterte’s administration approaches.

“The new President surely appreciated what President Duterte had started and I am very certain, dahil alam din ng Pangulong Marcos, ang ill effects nito (because President Marcos Jr. knows the ill-effects of illegal drugs). He will sustain the gains. He will even strengthen it at lalo pa tayong supportahan sa kampanya laban sa droga (he will even support us in our campaign against illegal drugs),” he added.

Since July 2016, the crime rate across the country has significantly decreased because of the aggressive campaign against illegal drugs. (PNA)