CEBU CITY — In a move that surprised many Cebuanos, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has removed from office Cebuano Paul Clarence Oaminal, Vice Chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), perceived by many as having been very active in the campaign against the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country.

Oaminal, who served as DDB Undersecretary for nearly two years, said he was “surprised” after getting a formal order from President Arroyo effectively saying he had been replaced from his post.

He said he got said formal notice last March 19 stating he had been replaced by former DDB Assistant Secretary Rommel Garcia.

Oaminal admitted that he was “disheartened” over losing his position since he was in the process of implementing various plans designed to eradicate the increasing drug problem, particularly caused by cocaine, in the country.

He said, even if he no longer holds the position, he will continue to pursue his advocacy to fight illegal drugs in the country.

Now that he has been removed from office, Oaminal revealed that he intends to focus his energies on the campaign of Senator Vicente Sotto, who had once been DDB Chairman and who is eyeing a Senate seat in the May 2010 elections.

A main reason for Oaminal’s support for the candidacy of Sotto is because of the latter’s pledge to prioritize in his legislative agenda the amendment of section 21, or the creation of special drug courts and a national drug penitentiary.

Sotto has likewise proposed the inclusion of drug rehabilitation in the coverage of the Philhealth program.

Prior to his appointment in the DDB, Oaminal was the legal consultant of PDEA-7 since the creation of the agency in 2002. Among his notable accomplishments is his overseeing of the dismantling of a mega shabu laboratory in Mandaue City and the extradition of its suspected Hong Kong –based financier.

In a letter dated March 8, 2010, Oaminal congratulated the President for the issuance of Administrative Order No. 53 entitled “Automatic Review of the Decisions and Resolutions of the Secretary of Justice Involving Dismissal of Cases under Republic Act 9165.”

However, Oaminal explained that a systematic scheme has been devised by defense counsels and prosecutors to legally evade the Executive Order and DoJ Circular No. 46 (Automatic Review of Drug Cases) and this should be changed if the country would want to see improvements in resolving drug cases in the country.