CONCERTED BATTLE VS DRUGS, POVERTY

CEBU CITY - Speaker Jose de Venecia yesterday endorsed a bill seeking to
consolidate all anti-illegal drugs programs of the government under a
single agency as he launched Drug-Free Cebu 2004 at the Sacred Heart Center
here.

De Venecia was referring to the creation of the Philippine Drug Enforcement
Administration sought by HB 437.

De Venecia also said Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who had
breakfast with him yesterday morning in Manila, has expressed support for
the creation of a Southeast Asian alliance against poverty, international
terrorism and drugs.

"We in Southeast Asia should now mount a concerted battle against poverty,
terrorism, and the narcotics syndicates,' the speaker said.

The House committee on drugs headed by Rep. Antonio Cuenco joined the
province's civic, military, religious, business leaders, and top officials
of the Philippine National Police, in launching the drug- free program.

Also here to attend the public hearing on HB 437 were Reps. Roque Ablan
Jr., Nerissa Son-Ruiz, Clavel Martinez, Isidro Real, Raul del Mar, and top
local officials.

Cuenco said the launching of Drug-Free Cebu 2004 is in line with President
Arroyo's Letter of Instruction 1 for a drug-free Philippines by 2010.

De Venecia expressed concern over the continuous operation of the narcotics
Golden Triangle involving Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia.

He said that all speakers of parliaments in the region should travel to
Myanmar to persuade its leaders to stop the narcotics trade and re-
establish the Myanmar parliament that has been suspended for decades.

Cuenco lauded the PNP regional command for initiating the anti-drug program.

The public hearing, he said, will allow a comprehensive consultation with
local officials and the private sector on the twin measures aimed at
winning the fight against drugs.

PNP

Director General Leandro R. Mendoza, chief of the Philippine National
Police (PNP), announced yesterday the arrest of 13 suspected members of a
drug trafficking syndicate, including a Philippine Basketball League (PBL)
player and two other foreigners, allegedly involved in the proliferation of
"Ecstasy" pills in Metro Manila.

The 13 were allegedly collared in an entrapment operation in Quezon City.

Mendoza identified the suspects as Marvin Ducat, tagged as leader of the
group; British Stewart MacDonald, 27 staying at Unit 1905 Parc Chateaum
Ortigas Center, Pasig City; American Jayson Johnson, a PBL player and a
resident of 1103-B Wack Wack Twin Towers; and Philip Glass, 34, an American
and reportedly a teacher.

Also arrested were Jovy Crispal, 24; Anton Garcia, 21; Jacqueline Ulganan,
21; Ana Lisa San Juan, 27; Aljor Castro, 43; Joseph Vernie Ducat, brother
of Marvin and presently a musical producer; Virgilio Rivas, 40; Oliver
Villar, 29; and Mel Santos, 27, an interior designer.

Deputy Director General Edgar Galvante, PNP-National Capital Region Police
Office (NCRPO) director, said the suspects were arrested in a raid on an
alleged drug den at 29 Ilongot St., la Vista Subd., barangay Pansol, Quezon
City.

Galvante reported to Mendoza that the raiding team was composed of members
of the Metro Manila Drug Enforcement Group (MMDEG) and the Regional
Intelligence Special Operation Office of the NCRPO.

Prior to the arrest, police said the suspects were placed under
surveillance for more than a month after they received reports of their
drug trafficking operations.

The raid was conducted on the strength of a warrant of arrest issued by
Executive Judge Monina Zenarosa of the National Capital Judicial
Region-Quezon City Regional Trial Court.

Police said two search warrants were also issued against Ducat after he was
tagged as leader of the gang.

Recovered from the suspects were an unlicensed .45 caliber pistol; 33
bullets; 39 Ecstasy pills worth P1,500 each; and other paraphernalia used
in re-packing Ecstasy.

Police also confiscated P77,500 cash believed to be the group's earnings
from their illicit transactions.

The raiding team also impounded a Mitsubishi Lancer with a fake
registration sticker and a Honda 250 cc motorcycle.

CEBU CITY - Speaker Jose de Venecia yesterday endorsed the consolidation
under a signle agency of all government programs to fight illegal drugs -
the "merchant of death" - as he led the launching of Drug-Free Cebu 2004 at
the Sacred Heart Center here.

Congress has created for the first time a powerful body, the House
Committee on Dangerous Drugs, to strengthen the fight against the drug
menace, de Venecia said, as he attended its third public hearig to signify
his support of House Bill 437 creating the Philippine Drug Enforcement
Administration.

A second House bill (HB 806) seeks the reduction of the Quantity of Drug
involved as a basis for imposign stiffer penalties. It seeks to amend
certain sections of Republic Act 6425, the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972.

The authors of the two measures, House Foreign Affairs Committee chair Rep.
Apolinario Lozada (HB 437), and Rep. Gilbert Remulla (HB 806) - were in
attendance here.

Most recent police estimates put the number of Filipino drug dependents at
1.7 million but Rep. Remulla said the figure could be higher.

De Venecia also said Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who had
breakfast with the House leader earlier in the morning in Manila, has
expressed support for the creation of a Southeast Asian alliance against
poverty, international terrorism and drugs.

"We in Southeast Asia should now mount a concertd battle against poverty,
terrorism and the narcotics syndicates,' the Speaker said.

The House committee on drugs is headed by Rep. Antonio Cuenco, a fearless
crusader against illegal drugs who joined the province's civic, military,
religious and business leaders, including top officials of the Philippine
National Police, in launching the drug- free program.

Also here to attend the public hearin were Representatives Roque Ablan Jr.,
Nerissa Son-Ruiz, Clavel Martinez, Isidro Real, Raul del Mar and top local
officials.

The Speaker said the Cuenco committee is not just a special committee but a
regular standing panel to underscore Congress' determined war against
drugs, which he said "continue to destroy the Filipino family and the
nation's future."

In HB 806, Remulla said the "enforcement of existing rules are not
producing the desired results in lessening the problem and the number of
drug users."

Cuenco said the launchin of "Drug-Free Cebu 2004" is in line with President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Letter of Instruction No. 1 for a Drug-Free
Philippines by 2010.

De Venecia expressed concern over the continuous operation of the narcotics
trade from the Golden Triangle involving Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia.

He said that all speakers of parliaments in the region should travel to
Myanmar to persuade its leaders to roll back the narcotics trade and to
re-establish the Myanmar Parliament which has been suspended for decades.

Cuenco lauded the PNP regional command for initiating the anti-drug program.

The public hearing, he said, will allow a comprehensive consultation with
local officils and the private sector on the twin measures aimed at winning
the fight against drugs.