MANILA — Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the Marcos administration’s anti-illegal drug campaign has delivered significant results without resorting to killings, a shift he attributed to the government’s commitment to accountability, science, and rule of law.

Speaking during the post-SONA discussions, Remulla said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration ended the previous “reward-based” system that had allegedly encouraged police abuses and unlawful killings.

“Ngayong panahon ni Presidente Marcos, sabi niya tigil na ‘yan. Ang nangyari niyan, hinuli muna namin ‘yung bodega, wala ng reward system,” he said, referring to a former practice where officers reportedly recycled confiscated drugs.

Remulla also said that upon assuming office, he prioritized rooting out corrupt police officers allegedly involved in hoarding seized narcotics for resale or for staged operations.

In the last eight months, he said, the combined efforts of the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the National Bureau of Investigation have resulted in the confiscation of six tons of shabu, pushing street prices up by 35% — from ₱5,000 to ₱6,800 per gram.

“So, the drug war is working without killing anyone. Hindi kailangang pumatay para manalo sa drug war,” Remulla added.

PDEA Director General Isagani Nerez, who also spoke during the event, said the administration’s Enhanced Anti-Drug Strategy led to the seizure of ₱82 billion worth of illegal drugs in just three years — nearly matching the previous administration’s total in six years. He added that authorities also arrested 9,686 high-value targets during the same period, a figure he said exceeds those nabbed in the past administration’s first three years.

Officials said the results demonstrate a shift to a more transparent and integrity-focused drug campaign that aims to eliminate illegal drugs without compromising justice or human lives.