Manila's Ramos vows crackdown on drugs trade

MANILA, Oct 10 (Reuter) Philippine President Fidel Ramos on Friday vowed
to crackdown on bureaucrats suspected of participating in the drug trade.

``I want it said when I leave the presidency that I looked this menace
squarely in the eye and went all out to fight it,'' Ramos said in a speech
at a government antidrug campaign in Manila.

``I am extremely responsive to any suggestion of drug related corruption in
government agencies and as your president will personally push for the
arrest and prosecution of any official and law enforcer no matter how
high up the ladder found to be involved in this nefarious traffic.''

Manila has asked local government officials to help police battle the
country's booming drug trade.

``In the case of the drug menace, I believe that some militarystyle
discipline is in order. Let's fight it with all we've got within the law,''
Ramos said.

Ramos accused senior officials, judges and policemen of protecting drug
lords.

Police say there are about 1.7 million users of illegal drugs in the
Philippines and the narcotics trade is estimated to be worth 250 billion
pesos ($8.6 billion) a year, more than half the size of the national budget.

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