President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday highlighted the significant changes that the Philippine government has introduced in the campaign against illegal drugs under his administration.

In his meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President Marcos acknowledged that the proliferation of illegal drugs in the Philippines remains a problem of the administration.

He said, however, that the approach to drug dependents changed significantly.

“It’s a big problem, but our approach has changed significantly,” President Marcos told Scholz after the latter inquired on his approach to illegal drugs in relation to the previous administration. “I diametrically opposed to handling the drug problem in that way, by confrontation, by violence and it really requires so much, more much deeper understanding on the problem and the much deeper solution. So, yes, I think that we are also progressing when it comes to that,” he said.

President Marcos noted that part of the reforms is the reorganization of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to flush out some of the police officers involved “in some of the more nefarious practices” that were undertaken during the previous administration.

“We are starting to move them out, and some of them have already been tried and convicted, now in jail and serving their time. It’s a difficult problem because it’s the money involved is so much that it’s hard for the government to compete with the kind of money that’s been thrown around by the drug lords,” he added.

President Marcos said his administration has already lessened the problem of illegal drug operations in the Philippines.

The chief executive took a three-day working visit to Germany where he met with Scholz in a bid to strengthen the bilateral ties between the Philippines and Germany. He was able to secure USD 4 billion investment deals during the visit. PND