JAYLO ANTI-DRUG TEAM JUNKED

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency's Task Force Hunter headed by
controversial former Manila police captain Reynaldo H. Jaylo was
deactivated on July 30 following Jaylo's appointment to another post, PDEA
chair Undersecretary Anselmo S. Avenido Jr. bared yesterday.

Avenido said Task Force Hunter, also known as the PDEA Special Enforcement
Unit H, is no longer connected with the PDEA, the government agency
spearheading the crackdown against illegal drug trafficking and abuse.

Avenido said the deactivation of Task Force Hunter was the result of the
appointment of Jaylo as director of the Presidential Anti-Illegal
Recruitment Task Force which is under the Department of Labor and Employment.

He explained that with the deactivation of Task Force Hunter, all PDEA
personnel detailed with the defunct unit have been placed directly under
the PDEA-SES, their mother unit in the PDEA.

The PDEA chief also explained that the transfer of Task Force Hunter's
personnel to the PDEA national headquarters will be without prejudice to
whatever appropriate arrangement the PAIRTF will make with their respective
mother agencies.

Avenido advised the public to report to the PDEA national headquarters all
persons claiming to be members of Task Force Hunter and conducting
anti-drug operations.