MANILA, Philippines — Isinusulong ni House Speaker at ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) President Faustino Dy III ang pagpapalawak ng mandato ng AIPA Advisory Council on Dangerous Drugs (AIPACODD) upang masaklaw hindi lamang ang drug trafficking kundi pati iba pang krimeng kaugnay nito.
Sa kanyang talumpati sa 9th Meeting ng AIPACODD, sinabi ni Dy na lumawak na ang banta ng transnational organized crime sa rehiyon kaya kinakailangang palakasin ang koordinasyon ng mga bansang kasapi ng ASEAN.
“Since its beginnings as the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Fact-Finding Committee to Combat the Drug Menace (AIFOCOM) in 1999, AIPACODD has evolved into a vital platform for legislative dialogue, policy exchange, and regional cooperation,” ani Dy.
Ayon sa lider ng Kamara, hindi na hiwa-hiwalay ang mga kasong may kinalaman sa droga dahil konektado na ang mga ito sa mas malawak na operasyon ng mga sindikato.
“Today, drug-related crimes are no longer isolated offenses. They are increasingly intertwined with a broader web of transnational organized crime that threatens regional security, undermines economic stability, and impedes human development. These threats recognize no borders. Neither should our response,” dagdag niya.
Dahil dito, nanawagan si Dy sa mga bansang ASEAN na paigtingin ang pagtutulungan at pag-isahin ang mga legal framework upang hindi mapagsamantalahan ng mga kriminal ang pagkakaiba ng mga batas sa bawat bansa.
“Cooperation alone is no longer enough. Criminal networks continue to exploit differences in legal frameworks and gaps in enforcement across our jurisdictions. To stay ahead, we must pursue stronger mechanisms for collaboration and greater harmonization of our laws, denying these networks the space in which they operate,” paliwanag niya.
Sa ilalim ng panukala, papalitan ang pangalan ng konseho bilang “AIPACODD Plus” upang maisama sa mandato nito ang paglaban sa money laundering, human trafficking at cybercrime na konektado sa operasyon ng ilegal na droga.
“If approved, AIPACODD will become AIPACODD Plus—a transformation driven by strategic necessity. This expanded framework will strengthen ASEAN parliamentary cooperation not only against drug trafficking, but also against the crimes that sustain and profit from it, including money laundering, trafficking in persons, and cybercrime,” ani Dy.
Kasalukuyang namumuno ang Pilipinas sa AIPA at magsisilbing host ng 47th AIPA General Assembly sa Nobyembre 2026, kung saan inaasahang tatalakayin ang naturang panukala. Gail Mendoza
