President Duterte has signed the Executive Order (EO) creating the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) and Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force to suppress the drug problem in the country.

In the said EO 15, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) will serve as the chairperson of the ICAD.

The members of the ICAD are the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB); departments of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Justice (DOJ), Health (DOH), Education (DepEd), Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Trade and Industry (DTI), Agriculture (DA), and National Defense (DND); and the Technological Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Other members are the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).

According to the EO, ICAD shall ensure that each member agency implements and complies with all policies, laws, and issuances pertaining to the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign in a synchronized and integrated manner.

These include the effective conduct of drug operations and arest of drug personalities; spearhead and ensure the implementation of the National Anti-Drug Plan of Action (NADPA) and the Barangay Drug-Cleaning Program; and ensure the intensive conduct of advocacy campaign initiatives.

The ICAD is also mandated to seek the assistance of the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate and prosecute public officials involved in illegal drug activities.

The ICAD will also be organized further into three clusters namely the Enforcement, Justice, Advocacy, and Rehabilitation and Reintegration clusters. However, ICAD can form additional clusters if deemed necessary.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos

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