PDEA: Technology needed to curb illegal drug imports
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Deputy Director for Operations Renato Gumban (second from right) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) Executive Director Alexander Ramos (second from left) sign an agreement for the two agencies to share expertise in the anti-illegal drug campaign in a ceremony at the National Cybercrime Hub in Taguig City on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. 黑料社 / JASON SIGALES
MANILA, Philippines — For the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), technology is needed to combat illegal drug importations and curb the supply, as the bureau formalized a partnership with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC).
PDEA’s Deputy Director for Operations Renato Gumban and CICC’s Executive Director Alexander Ramos signed the memorandum of agreement in a ceremony at the National Cybercrime Hub in Taguig City on Tuesday.
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“Gagamitin yung capability ng CICC sa mga supply reduction, mga importations na hindi namin makukuha ‘yan, mga ship side… [K]ailangan ng technology diyan nang ma-trace natin yung mga barko, ma-trace natin yung mga container vans,” Gumban said in an open forum after the signing.
(We will use the capability of the CICC for supply reduction, the importations that we can’t detect, the ship side… We need technology there for us to trace the ships, for us to trace the container vans.)
“May tumutulong sa’tin minsan, yung ibang foreign counterparts natin. Kung minsan, kulang yung mga information, kaya kailangan namin yung CICC nang ma-zero in natin yung mga information na ‘yan… Marami kasing network rin ‘yang mga kalaban natin sa drugs,” the PDEA official added.
(Some of our foreign counterparts help us. Sometimes, though, the information is lacking, that’s why we need the CICC so we can zero in on our information. Our drug targets also have many networks.)
READ: Gov’t to shift focus to supply side in new drug war strategy – Remulla
The development comes after Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla previously said the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign would shift toward addressing the supply side.
Under the agreement, the CICC will give technical expertise to the PDEA, sharing data and linking them with agencies concerned with investigating and prosecuting cases related to the Dangerous Drugs Act.
Meanwhile, the PDEA is tasked with providing liaisons to the National Cybercrime Hub to streamline the suppression of drug-related cybercrimes.
“Kailangan namin talaga yung CICC dahil ang PDEA hindi pa masyado gaanong kagaling sa mga cybercrime investigation,” Gumban maintained.
(We really need the CICC because the PDEA is not as good yet with cybercrime investigation.)
Gumban stressed the PDEA’s need for CICC’s expertise, citing that the anti-illegal drug agency was deputized by the Anti-Money Laundering Council to bolster the campaign against drug money launderers.
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The PDEA added that the agency needed CICC guidance in procuring new equipment.
For his part, Ramos said during the ceremony, “PDEA, just like any other law enforcement partners, are diving into a new realm of dealing with the underworld. This partnership marks a leap. We look forward to that leap into addressing the issues of drug abuse in the country.”
“[W]e want to share this expertise with our partners in PDEA to ensure that we enable them to pursue the mission rigorously,” the CICC executive director added.
READ: PDEA seizes P52.5-B illegal drugs from July 2022 – December 2024
The PDEA recently reported that it seized P52.5 billion worth of illegal drugs in its campaign from July 2022 to December 2024.
