EU denies suggesting to PHL use of drugs to treat shabu addiction

The European Union has denied suggesting the use of substitution drugs to treat methamphethamine or shabu addiction in the Philippines.

The EU delegation made the statement days after President Rodrigo Duterte indicated that it proposed drug rehabilitation clinics where addicts can somehow still get their drug fix.

"During the past days there have been a number of articles about the European Union’s cooperation with the Philippines authorities in the fight against drugs," the EU said.

"Some of these have been misleading, and the EU Delegation would therefore like to offer the following clarifications," it added.

"At no time has the EU Delegation suggested, discussed, proposed or considered the use of any substitution drugs when treating addiction to methamphetamine (shabu), or any other drug addiction in the Philippines," the EU said.

The EU instead said that it was working in cooperation with World Health Organization Country Office for the Philippines, international and Filipino expertsthe Department of Health (DOH), the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), civic officials, and selected barangays to implement a pilot program focusing on the health and social welfare of individuals who have used shabu and have a wish to achieve or sustain recovery.

"The program aims to support recovery from addiction, while keeping families together and facilitating development of social and job skills," the EU said.

The EU said that it was working with the DOH and civic authorities to develop plans for model pilot recovery clinics and recovery homes.

"These will be fully voluntary facilities and will serve as a step-up level of care for patients who require additional support to community support measures," it said.

The EU said its vision included the following elements:

• No medication (this is a psychosocial program of counselling).
• Entirely voluntary.
• Patient medical record privacy and confidentiality.
• Individual and group counselling methods.
• Family education meetings and family therapy.

It will have linkages to the following community support measures:

• Vocational skills training
• Faith based support
• Sports and recreation
• Recovery Homes (halfway houses)

The EU in its statement said that it had "actively supported the DOH for many years."

"Over the past decade support has amounted to €120 million (Php 6.5 billion). This support has been mainly channelled through DOH budget," the EU said.

"It also includes programmes improving maternal and child health in remote areas; supporting first line health care; enhancing supply chain management to distribute medicines to rural health units and first line clinics; or financing dental buses enabling dental care to reach many in need who otherwise would have no access," it added.

Duterte on Friday criticized the EU for supposedly suggesting "a health-based solution" to the country's problem with illegal drugs.

In a speech delivered before Filipino-Chinese businessmen in Pasay City, the President said that the EU wanted the Philippine government to build clinics where drug users could go and get a dose of the substance that they want to take.

“Ang EU, they communicated to us and they want a health-based solution for the drugs. Alam mo ang mga p—ina niya, they want us to build clinics then that we should, instead of arresting or putting them in prison pareho sa ibang countries," Duterte said.

"You go there and if you want shabu they will inject you or give you shabu then you go out then if you want marijuana there’s a place there. Government-sponsored idiotic exercise. Then if you want cocaine they will give you cocaine and if they want heroin they will give you heroin,” he added. —NB, GMA News