Some drug dependents don’t need rehab centers – PNP chief

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Supt. Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa said in a radio interview on Saturday that drug dependents who do not suffer from extreme cases of addiction do not need to go to rehabilitation centers, but to community drug programs.

“We can see now that drug dependents who do not suffer extreme cases do not need [rehabilitation centers],” Dela Rosa said.

According to Dela Rosa, the government’s community drug programs like “Life After Tokhang” of drug dependents who suffer from mild cases of addiction.

“Most of our drug dependents would be better off in community drug rehabilitation programs,” Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa argued that most drug dependents would find it hard to travel to the government’s rehabilitation center in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija due to the long distance, especially for Visayas and Mindanao residents.

“For example, you are from Mindanao, Visayas, or Southern Luzon, then you would go to Fort Magsaysay. That would be far away from you,” Dela Rosa said.

The PNP Chief clarified that drug dependents are not forced to undergo rehabilitation. However, he said if there is a law mandating that “addicts” undergo rehabilitation, then the order must be followed.

“Well, if we have a law saying that all those who surrender must go to a drug rehabilitation program, then we would load them to Nueva Ecija,” Dela Rosa said.