1 week Ago By Sun Star Davao Digital
SEIZED illegal drugs in the Davao Region have increased in the first quarter of 2025 with authorities yielding 12 kilograms (kg) worth approximately P78 million, a notable increase to P30 million worth of illegal drugs seized in the first half of 2024. Edgay Jubay, regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency(Pdea)-Davao Region, said that aside from this, they also seized P19.5 million worth of shabu and P11.
2 million worth of marijuana. While specific figures for illegal drugs seized for the first quarter of last year were not disclosed, the 12-kilogram yielded in early 2025 suggests a growing trend in drug trafficking and enforcement operations. Jubay said the rise in drug supply may be attributed to sources outside the region particularly from Northern Mindanao with origins in Malaysia and Indonesia.
He, however, emphasized that no politicians within the Davao Region are involved in the drug trade but that some politicians outside the region “allegedly use drug money to fund their election campaigns”. "Mag-order ng drugs, ibenta, doble ang kita, tapos dagdag sa campaign funds (Order drugs, sell them, double the profit, then add to campaign funds)," Jubay said during the Davao Peace, Security, and Safety Press Corps, on Wednesday, April 2, explaining how some politicians profit from the illegal drug trade. Jubay also noted a shift in drug trafficking routes.
Previously, drugs were transported from Mindanao to the National Capital Region (NCR), but now, the flow has reversed, with drugs being smuggled from NCR into Mindanao. He explained that the demand for illegal drugs has risen due to lower prices, leading to an increase in drug dens. "Medyo nag-increase siya.
Ibabase kasi natin dun sa medyo dumagdag yung bilang ng mga na-dismantle nating drug den. So ibig sabihin, pag may drug den, may drugs yan at may gumagamit (It has increased a bit. We'll base it on the fact that the number of drug dens we've dismantled had increased.
So, that means, when there's a drug den, there are drugs and there are users)," he said. According to Jubay, authorities have dismantled more than 15 drug dens and recorded two high-volume drug seizures, including a six-kilogram drug bust in Panabo City. The most affected areas include Panabo, Tagum, Davao del Norte, Mati, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, and Davao City.
He compared the current anti-drug campaign to the previous administration noting that enforcement was stricter before and that drug personalities were more fearful. "Mas mahigpit yun kaysa ngayon. Yung first year pa lang pag-upo ng previous administration, may takot kaagad sa part ng mga drug personalities (It's stricter before than now.
In the first year of the previous administration's term, there was immediately fear from the drug personalities)," he said. He emphasized that the previous administration had a stronger approach to drug enforcement, which helped suppress drug activities. Despite the increase in drug activities, Jubay assured the public that Pdea-Davao and law enforcement agencies are intensifying their efforts to combat the drug problem and maintain peace and security in the region.
Cine Grace Languay, DOrSU.
