Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

THUMBNAIL-DRUGS

Adrian Ayalin

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The Department of Justice said its Task Force Against Illegal Drugs would only run after “syndicate-level” offenders while other cases would be relegated back to local prosecution offices.</p><p>DOJ Undersecretary Ian Norman Dato said only drugs weighing 10 kilograms intercepted in Metro Manila and 15 kilograms elsewhere would be referred to the task force.
Cases involving a public officer, law enforcement agent, and foreign nationals, as well as clandestine laboratories, will also be referred to the task force. </p><p>“So only in those instances will the Task Force on Anti-Illegal Drugs will exercise jurisdictions,” Dato said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/7/30/p510-million-shabu-seized-at-batangas-port-2-alleged-drug-couriers-arrested-1608">P510-million shabu seized at Batangas Port; 2 alleged drug couriers arrested </a></div><p>Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon made the recommendation to amend Department Order No. 161 which created the task force.</p><p>The changes aim to decongest the DOJ task force.</p><p>“So it elevates this task force into an elite task force that will only go after the syndicate level drug offenders and everything else will be delegated to the local prosecution offices who know their localities best,” Dato said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/30/sara-duterte-says-some-drug-war-deaths-connected-to-bad-gun-violence-1403">Sara Duterte says drug war extrajudicial killings connected to &#x27;bad gun violence&#x27;</a><br style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial" id="isPasted"/><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/war-on-drugs">War on Drugs, The Unheard Voices</a></div>

<p>The Department of Justice said its Task Force Against Illegal Drugs would only run after “syndicate-level” offenders while other cases would be relegated back to local prosecution offices.</p>

The Department of Justice said its Task Force Against Illegal Drugs would only run after “syndicate-level” offenders while other cases would be relegated back to local prosecution offices.

DOJ task force vs illegal drugs to only go after syndicate-level offenders

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DOJ task force vs illegal drugs to only go after syndicate-level offenders

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 30, 2026 04:49 PM PHT

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drugs

war on drugs

illegal drugs

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