DESPITE being delisted by the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (UNCND), marijuana is still classified by the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Cordillera as an illegal drug.
UNCND recently downgraded cannabis or marijuana for medical use and has removed it from the most dangerous category of drugs.
Police Brigadier General R'win Pagkalinawan, PRO regional director, said the Philippines will have to come up with its own interpretation of the UN decision.
"This will all depend on the President. As a Philippine National Police, we and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will be waiting for the guidance coming from general headquarters on how we will approach this UN decision. It is still up to the administration on what the guidance would be but for the Cordillera for the longest time, this is what our congressmen have been espousing in Kalinga that these are for medical however at this point in time, marijuana is still illegal, prohibited in our country therefore the destruction of these drugs is not in compliance with the dictum of the law as stipulated in section 21 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002," Pagkalinawan said.
Under the recent UN ruling, marijuana now is no longer in most dangerous drugs list after the UNCND's 53 member states voted to remove cannabis from the stricter control schedules even if it is used for medical purposes.
With a historic vote of 27 in favor, 25 against and one abstention, the UNCND has opened the door to recognizing the medicinal and therapeutic potential of the commonly used but still largely illegal recreational drug.
Despite the recent development, Pagkalinawan said the anti-marijuana drive in the Cordillera will continue.
"Our marijuana eradication program is continuous and our border checkpoints will strengthen the help of narcotic detection dogs from the Regional Ordinance and Explosives K-9 units, our operatives on the ground were empowered with the needed logistical support," Pagkalinawan said.
PRO-Cordillera's demand-reduction activities continues through the conduct of dialogues and lectures with the community, aside from partnering with various community stakeholders and mobilizing them to help the regional commands fight illegal drugs.
