Cayetano urges intensified operations vs drugs suspects in BGC

MANILA, Philippines - Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano on Friday called on concerned government agencies to intensify operations against those engaged in the illegal drugs trade, including those operating at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

Cayetano also asked parents and teachers to help in the education of children on the dangers of illegal drugs, both its use and trafficking.

"Illegal drugs destroy lives, futures, families and communities. We are all stakeholders in the war against drugs; families, schools, and both the local and national government," she said.

"On behalf of the local government of Taguig, we throw our full and unwavering support to the concerted efforts against illegal drugs," she added.

Early last Wednesdsy, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation swooped on a condominium unit at the BGC and siezed millions of pesos worth of illegal drugs. The raid also resulted in the arrest of two Canadian nationals suspected to be linked to a Mexican drug cartel.

"Drugs and drug syndicates are not welcome here. I have already instructed the Taguig City police to intensify the war against illegal drugs in our city," she said.

Cayetano cited a study conducted by the Ateneo De Manila University in 2004 indicating there were 3.4 million drug users in the Philippines and that 70 percent of all heinous crimes were drug related.

Cayetano added that in last year's report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), methamphetamine, commonly known as “shabu” in the Philippines, remains the predominant illicit drug in South-East Asia where 122.8 million meth pills were seized in 2011.

The same report, she aded, also cited Asia as having the second largest number of countries with reported emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS).

“With the alarming figures, it is imperative that we become pro-active," she said.