FEBRUARY 11, 2026 — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla made it crystal clear when he said, “The solution to the drug problem is not killing people. It is this kind of operation which solves the problem.” That’s a statement that instantly raises eyebrows, especially in a country still haunted by the bloody legacy of Duterte’s war on drugs.

Instead of the old “kill the small fish” approach, Remulla is pushing a supply-side crackdown. He pointed out that in just one year, authorities seized nearly three tons of shabu. That haul drove prices up by 80% and, according to him, crime dropped by 24%. 

In short, less supply, higher prices, fewer crimes. Sounds neat on paper, but does it really change the game?

“Pwede naman magtrabaho nang hindi pinapatay ‘yung mga maliliit na tao. Ang kailangan dito enforcement, mahuli, hindi dumating sa kalye para bumaba ang kuha ng droga,” Remulla said.

(We can work without killing small-time people. What’s needed here is enforcement, arrests, preventing drugs from reaching the streets so supply goes down.)

He also bragged about the numbers under Marcos Jr.: P95.6 billion worth of drugs seized in just three years — already more than what past administrations managed in their entire terms. That’s a bold claim, and it’s clearly meant to draw a line between today’s “cleaner” operations and yesterday’s blood-soaked headlines.

But sure, choking supply sounds better than filling morgues. Yet, does hiking drug prices really solve addiction? Or does it just make the trade more profitable for those who can still smuggle it in? And let’s not forget — corruption and poverty remain the fertile ground where the drug problem thrives. Seizing billions worth of shabu doesn’t erase that reality.

Remulla’s words are sharp, but they also carry shade. 

When he said, “The solution to the drug problem is not killing people,” it’s hard not to hear it as a direct dig at Duterte’s infamous EJKs. Whether intentional or not, it’s a statement that forces us to look back and ask: Was the old war on drugs nothing but a bloody failure?

Do you think this new focus on cutting supply is a smarter and more promising approach than the past administration’s bloody drug war — and will it actually work this time around?

(Image: Philippine National Police | Facebook)