PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Dionisio Santiago as chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), a Palace official said Sunday.
Santiago, also a retired military general, replaced Benjamin Reyes, whom the President fired in May for contradicting his 4 million estimated number of drug dependents in the country.
Reyes had cited a DDB commissioned survey in 2015, showing that there were only 1.8 million drug users nationwide.
"The Palace announces the appointment of General Dionisio Santiago as Chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board," Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.
He said Santiago's expertise and advocacy is fighting illegal drugs, which became his platform when he ran in the last elections. Santiago lost in the senatorial race.
"General Santiago’s return to the National Government with his appointment to the DDB will greatly contribute to the President’s vision of a drug-free Philippines," Abella said. (SDR/VoxPop Philippines)