Lawmakers Question P500 Million Confidential Funding for Philippine Anti-Drug Operations

During the House’s review of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s proposed P4.4-billion budget for 2027, Rep. Presley de Jesus raised concerns about a P500 million confidential fund. Rep. Marcy Teodoro, who sponsors the budget and serves as vice chair of the Appropriations Committee, said the fund has been allocated to the PDEA since 2025 to support high-impact anti-drug operations and the disruption of major drug networks.

He reported that the agency acted on 73.88% of drug-related intelligence reports in 2025 and exceeded its arrest quotas, capturing 173 drug personalities (10.18% of the target) and 2,368 high-value targets (84% of the goal). The number of high-impact operations reached 696, surpassing the planned 500. Teodoro also noted a drop in drug users from 1.675 million in 2019 to 1.479 million in 2023, while warning against complacency. He mentioned the Dangerous Drugs Board’s upcoming anti-drugs strategy, currently under presidential review.