AGLIPAY WANTS TO TAP PRIESTS AS DRUG BUSTERS

KORONADAL CITY-From gospel preachers to drug busters.

Deputy Director General Edgardo Aglipay, the Philippine National Police's
director for operations, is hoping to tap the Diocese of Marbel's 60 priest
s
as partners in the campaign against illegal drugs.

The diocese, strategically located in Central Mindanao, covers the province
s
of South Cotabato and Sarangani and parts of Sultan Kudarat and the cities
of Koronadal and South Cotabato.

Aglipay said he was invited by Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez of Marbel on Frida
y
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 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.

At a meeting with police officials in Central Mindanao 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 percent of the cases filed in courts nationwide is related
to drugs.