CLERGY VS DRUGS

Priests Eyed As Busters

KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews) - From gospel preachers to drug busters Edgardo
Aglipay, the Philippine National Police deputy director general for
Operations, is hoping to tap the Diocese of Marbel's 60 priests as partners
in the campaign against illegal drugs.

The diocese, strategically located in South Central Mindanao, covers the
provinces of South Cotabato and Sarangani and the cities of Koronadal and
General Santos.

Aglipay said he was invited by Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez last Friday
to attend a gathering of diocesan priests in nearby Surallah town on August 10.

"I gladly accepted the invitation and I would come with my men to brief the
priests on how they can help us fight off the drug menace," said Aglipay,
also chief of the anti-illegal drug special operations task force.

Aglipay met with Gutierrez at the Bishop's Palace last Friday to ask his
support in the drive against illegal drugs.

Gutierrez was the ninth bishop in the country whom Aglipay asked to be a
partner in the government's drive against illegal drugs.

Aglipay said the priests could help in the government's anti-illegal drugs
campaign by counseling their parishioners who are into drugs and
recommending their rehabilitation.

He also said the religious leaders could serve as informants to the police
about drug syndicates or street peddlers operating in their respective
parishes.

In a meeting with police officials in Region 12 over the weekend, Aglipay
told them to reach out to the priests as partners of the government in
running after those involved in the illegal drugs trade.

Aglipay said that if the proliferation of illegal drugs could be minimized,
crime rates would also go down and with crime rates down, jails would be
decongested.

He noted that 60 per cent of the cases filed in courts nationwide is
related to drugs.