President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed retired Philippine National Police (PNP) Major General Isagani Nerez as the new Director General of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin administered the oath of office to Nerez during a ceremony at Malacañang on Tuesday, as shown in photos released by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
Nerez replaced retired PNP general Moro Virgilio Lazo and the former Special Action Force chief who had been at the helm of the agency since October 2022.
Before taking on his new role, Nerez held significant positions within the PNP, including the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) and the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Eastern Mindanao.
In 2022, Marcos appointed Nerez as Undersecretary for Police Affairs at the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs.
Furthermore, he served in the PNP Special Action Force, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, and the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group.
Nerez also served as the head of the Baguio City Police Office before becoming the Chief Superintendent of the Cordillera Police Regional Office.
He is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Maharlika Class of 1984.
As the new PDEA chief, Nerez is expected to strengthen the country’s anti-narcotics campaign and enforce laws on dangerous drugs, precursors, and essential chemicals.
