PDEA-6 says no drug groups monitored in Western Visayas

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 6 (PDEA-6) has not monitored any large or organized drug group operating in Western Visayas.

PDEA-6 public information officer Ma. Graziella Tanaleon said Wednesday, Nov. 19, that this remains the case despite the relatively large volume of illegal drugs seized in recent years.

Instead, she said the agency has observed only small, independent local distributors.

“And most of whom operate at the user-to-peddler level,” she said.

Tanaleon said these individuals or groups show no signs of consolidation or the capability to operate on a large scale.

Based on PDEA’s current assessment and interdiction efforts, she said the volume of illegal drugs entering Western Visayas remains limited and highly fragmented.

She added that this trend is consistent with the agency’s sustained operations and coordination with partner enforcement units.

Tanaleon said they have no formula to estimate the actual supply entering the region compared with the illegal drugs seized.

She noted that monthly drug hauls vary among PDEA-6 and other law enforcement agencies.

She said there has been no major bulk entry detected and that most seizures involve gram-level or small-pack quantities typically handled by regional couriers rather than large trafficking networks.

Recent reports indicate that the price of shabu is at PHP 4,000 to PHP 4,500 per gram, a significant decrease from the PHP 6,800 standard price set by the Dangerous Drugs Board.

However, Tanaleon said a lower street price does not automatically indicate an oversupply.

“Drug prices are affected by multiple factors, including a decrease in demand in areas where intensified anti-drug operations are gaining ground,” she said.

She explained that in the illegal drug market, the usual law of supply and demand does not always apply directly, as prices can also be influenced by competition among pushers and efforts to quickly dispose of small quantities to avoid detection.