MANILA, Philippines — Las Piñas City Lone District Representative Mark Anthony Santos has renewed his push for a dedicated national task force to unify the government’s crackdown on illegal drugs, pointing out existing gaps in coordination among law enforcement branches.
Santos, who serves as the chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, noted that a recent committee briefing revealed collaborative efforts were largely confined between the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).
The lawmaker emphasized that an effective anti-trafficking strategy requires broader agency integration, suggesting the inclusion of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Describing the current limitations, Santos said in a television interview, “So may mga gaps.”
He further explained how a centralized body would optimize logistical support and operational efficiency during critical operations: “Mas maganda yun. Naka-focus tayo sa iisa lang… For example, yung interdiction na hinabol kailangan ng helicopter ng (military), kailangan ng barko ng Coast Guard. Dapat isa lang talaga.”
Santos also highlighted the bureaucratic advantages of a unified command structure, noting, “Kasi, for example, ikaw ang task force commander, hindi ka na dadandaan sa head of agency. Deretso ka na doon.”
To institutionalize this initiative, Santos suggested that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. could issue an executive order establishing the proposed task force, backed by sufficient funding to guarantee seamless coordination across all participating government institutions.