CEBU CITY – Acting Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Secretary Clarence Paul Oaminal is set to present measures to the Board to address the increasing number of Filipinos being used as drug mules in other countries, particularly China.

Oaminal, a Cebuano, said a Technical Working Group is set to present its recommendations on the critical matter this month to the Board, which includes the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) as members.

“Data reveals that there are around 300 Filipinos arrested for drug trafficking,” he pointed out. “Drug cartels use transit countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Laos and Vietnam in secretly stashing the drugs once they reach these nations. We should, however, be re-oriented that the victims are not only OFWs but also Filipino tourists.”

The DDB official said foreign nationals usually fool Filipinos or force their Filipino their fiancés to become drug mules, thus making the Filipino a part of the larger international drug operation.

There is need to educate people about the dangers involved in drugs, stress Oaminal. “People know that trafficking drugs is a crime and informing them of the dire consequences of their action may deter or discourage them to become mules,” he said.

A revolutionary concept which he believes is necessary is the conduct of orientation seminars on the Anti-Drugs Law as a requirement in the issuance of passports.

“We should never presumed that all applicants for passports know about Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, for there are even lawyers and doctors who have no idea about the law, so, how much more for those who have no college diploma,” Oaminal underlined.

Going through an orientation seminar before the release of a passport by the Department of Foreign Affairs is feasible, he said, because it is just like the requirement in the issuance of a driver’s license.

In 2009, Oaminal’s predecessor, Former Senator Vicente Sotto III awarded operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation for the arrest of a West African drug syndicate victimizing Filipinos in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The syndicate, composed of nine West Africans, seven Filipinos, and a Sri Lankan were found in possession of 540 grams of cocaine, 640 grams of heroin and 992 grams of cocaine compressed into 115 pellets.