PDEA welcomes 100 new K9s, handlers

ABS-CBN News

Posted at Jul 10 2019 04:23 PM

PDEA welcomes 100 new K9s, handlers 1
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency held a graduation ceremony for its 100 new police dogs and their handlers for completing a 6-month training. Photo from PDEA


MANILA - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Wednesday welcomed 100 new police dogs and their handlers.

A graduation ceremony was held in Antipolo City for the class "Nagtalad" or "Nagsanib na Tao at Aso Laban sa Droga."

The K9 handlers and their dogs underwent 6 months of intensive training on drug detection, PDEA said in a statement.

“The superior sense of smell of dogs, which is a thousand times stronger than [that of] humans, makes them a valuable tool in the detection of concealed illegal drugs," PDEA Director Gen. Aaron Aquino said. 

Meanwhile, PDEA said a P21.3-million project for the renovation of its K9 facility in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan will be completed soon.

“Once the rehabilitation is completed, the K9 facility is envisioned to be the premier hub for breeding and training of all drug-sniffing dogs and their handlers intended for drug law enforcement agencies in the Philippines,” Aquino said.