MANILA, Philippines — The National Security Council is working with foreign counterparts to identify the groups behind cocaine shipments that were dumped around the eastern seaboard of the Philippines. National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said President Duterte’s earlier warnings on foreign drug syndicates have been confirmed by recent operations of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). Following the recovery of several cocaine blocks in Philippine territorial waters, Esperon did not discount the possibility that foreign drug cartels have infiltrated the Philippine market. Multimillion pesos worth of cocaine bricks were recovered in Dinagat and Siargao islands, the waters off Camarines Norte and Quezon province. Albayalde also attributed the increase in the number of drug users to the barangay anti-drugs abuse councils which have been active in reporting suspected drug users in their respective communities.

Source: Philippine Star February 27, 2019 16:00 UTC