MANILA, Philippines (Reuter) Drug trafficking is such a booming business in
the Philippines that high officials, judges and policemen have become
protectors of drug lords, President Fidel Ramos said Monday.

Ramos did not mention names but he urged citizens to join the government in a
``total campaign'' to stamp out the drug menace.

The administration's failure to curb the growing trade in illegal drugs and
other major crimes, such as kidnapping for ransom, has remained a black spot
in Ramos's presidency, which has been widely praised by businessmen for
turning a once bankrupt economy into one of Asia's emerging ``Tigers.''

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

The most popular drug is methamphetamine hydrochloride, or ``ice,''
accounting for 95 percent of illegal drugs used in the country.

``The drug trade is such a rich business that it easily turns police
officers, prosecutors, judges, ranking officials and other agents of the law
into their protectors and partners,'' Ramos said in a speech at a Manila
police camp honouring outstanding police officers.

He urged citizens to help the government in the campaign against all forms of
crime.

``Let us together continue to hit hard at all criminals, hit them hard
again and again and again,'' he said.

The protection allegedly given drug syndicates by influential people in
government has become a major political issue after a local businessmen who
recently surrendered to the police linked four opposition politicians and
five police officers to the illicit trade.

The opposition denied the allegations and accused the government of smearing
their names to ensure the victory of Ramos's Lakas party in next year's
elections. Ramos is constitutionally barred from running for a second term.

11:06 081197