REVILLA INCENSED BY US REPORT RP IS HAVEN FOR DRUG SMUGGLERS

An embarrassment, a big slap on the law enforcement capability and
sincerity by a government claiming to be serious in curbing drug
trafficking, an administration senator yesterday said as he fired at
the executive on the latest international report citing the
Philippines as having a booming illegal drugs industry with billions
of dollars involved the past few years.

Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., reacting to the 2006 international
narcotics control report of the US State Department, chastised the
apparent lapses of the government as manifested in the report, saying
this should serve as a wake-up call as it not only caused the latest
humiliation for the country but is also alarming.

"Unfair it may be, the authorities should take this very seriously and
should begin introspecting on their performances. The statement,
whether outright true, is a big slap on our enforcement's capability
and sincerity," he said.

Revilla, chairman of the Senate committee on public information and
mass media, said the branding of the country as a drug smuggler's
haven is the least that the government needs at this time, especially
now when the country is just gaining ground again on the economic side
following a struggle with political shake-up in recent weeks.

"The statement is very disappointing because it will definitely have
an impact on our economy, well-meaning investors might shy away from
the country. Our economy which has been battered from recent political
upheavals cannot afford this daunting statement, especially from a
country considered as an ally," he said.

"Our government should put more premium on the anti-illegal drug
campaign and pour in more resources and logistics," he added.

Revilla said all entry and exit points of the country should be
tightly-manned, with security patrols provided with logistics such as
communication and transportation equipment to ably perform their duties.

"If we are really serious in our efforts to curb drug trafficking, we
should arm our men well with all the necessary logistics," he said
even as the senator challenged the administration to be firm in its
campaign against corruption in all levels in government.

"We should go after these corrupt officials who get in the way of the
proper dispensing of our laws. We cannot stress our point in going
after these hooligans if laws can already be broken at the low level
of the enforcement spectrum," he said.