Abalos: P21-B drugs seized since BIDA's start in 2023

At least P21 billion worth of illegal drugs were confiscated since the start of the government’s BIDA or Buhay Ingatan, Droga ay Ayawan flagship program last year, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said yesterday.

- BELLA CARIASO

"This is a new approach that we are implementing. It is called emersion and in one year, we got 1,200 BIDA events, close to 400,0000 participants; 75,831 drug operations; 95,790 arrested drug personalities; P21 billion worth of illegal drugs were confiscated and 177 police personnel were filed with cases for alleged involvement in illegal drugs. That's the house cleaning that we are doing," he said in a chance interview.

Abalos led an advocacy walk, as part of activities for the first anniversary, from the Cultural Center of the Philippines to the SM Mall of Asia concert grounds.

"On the part of enforcement we have 1,240 local government units with a functional anti-drug abuse council and of course we have community-based drug rehabilitation in at least 1,534 LGUs and 20,360 (individuals) are enrolled here," Abalos added.