Palau grapples with growing drug crisis, calls for national emergency

By: Eustoria Maria Borja

Koror, Palau – The Senate Judiciary and Governmental Affairs (JGA) Committee met on September 11, 2024 to address the escalating drug crisis in Palau. Officials from the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), along with senators and behavioral health experts, urged an official declaration of a national emergency to combat the epidemic. Behavioral Health Director Everlynn Temengil called for more resources and manpower, urging the government to act quickly.

Vice President and Minister of Justice Uduch Sengebau Senior expressed frustration over the country’s persistent drug enforcement challenges. She specifically pointed to a statement made by Director Tarkong in August 2024, which she said undermined the credibility of law enforcement by falsely suggesting there were discrepancies in drug seizure reports. “It is detrimental to law enforcement and hampers our efforts,” Sengebau said, calling for the statement to be removed from the report.

The hearing highlighted significant gaps in Palau’s ability to combat its growing drug problem, with Sengebau proposing tougher measures for law enforcement personnel. “Addiction requires treatment, but it cannot be tolerated within the police force,” she said, suggesting that officers who test positive for drugs should be fired immediately.

The department is understaffed, with its counternarcotics unit less than half its required size. Transnational Crime Unit Chief Kenny Sengebau revealed that only eight officers are currently assigned to drug cases, far short of the 14 to 15 needed. The Attorney General’s Office is also stretched, with only one prosecutor handling drug cases. “We need more prosecutors and stronger cooperation between law enforcement and the judiciary,” Attorney General Ernestine Rengiil said. The lack of a local forensic lab exacerbates the problem, with drugs being sent to Guam for testing, delaying prosecutions and some cases being dismissed because they exceed the 70-day trial period.

The oversight hearing also highlighted troubling problems within the police force itself. Sergeant Virginia Umayam, who oversees the MOJ’s drug testing program, said several officers tested positive for drugs in 2022 but continued to work because of current legal protections. Sengebau reiterated the need for policy changes, saying: “Stronger policies are essential to maintain public trust and ensure accountability within the police.”

Senator Hokkons Baules stressed the urgency of the crisis and urged Palau’s president to take more decisive measures. “The president needs to step up his efforts to address the drug crisis,” Baules said, echoing the sentiments of many lawmakers who see the situation as critical.