United States Ambassador to Manila Sung Kim congratulated on Friday Vice President Leni Robredo for her appointment as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs.

“We look forward to continuing to work together as friends, partners, allies to support [the] Philippine government drug demand reduction efforts,” he said on his official Twitter account.

Earlier, a resolution was introduced to the US Congress condemning the government over the deaths that have resulted from its campaign against illegal drugs.

However, between the State Department and some Philippine government agencies, cooperation in addressing the drug trade continues.

The US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) has collaborated with the Philippine Dangerous Drugs Board and the Sri Lanka-based Colombo Plan to strengthen drug demand reduction initiatives in the country.

Last May, at least 52 officers from the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, the Philippine Public Safety College, and Xavier University attended specialized training on substance use disorders, with the goal to provide the criminal justice sector with an evidence-based, public health approach to reducing drug demand.

The training was a component of the embassy’s comprehensive program on drug demand reduction covering prevention, treatment, recovery, and policy development. (PNA)