BISHOPS JOIN ANTIDRUGS DRIVE

The National Police Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force
(AIDSOTF) disclosed that Roman Catholic Church officials have pledged
support to the government's drive against illegal drugs abuse.

AIDSOTF chief Deputy Director General Edgar Aglipay met Zamboanga Archbishop
Carmelo Rosales and eight other bishops who pledged support to the campaign
against illegal drugs.

Aglipay said that Christian communities have asked their members to help in
the campaign against drug pushers following reports that drug users,
particularly shabu addicts, have proliferated in major urban centers in the
country.

He said there are an estimated 3.4 million drug users in the country today
with the National Capital Region topping the drug-plagued listed regions
followed by the regions of Ilocos, Central Luzon, calabarzon
(Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon), Central Visayas, Western Visayas,
Southern Mindanao and caraga region, as Aglipay confirmed that the bulk of
the supply of illegal drugs comes from Metro Manila.

"Ang trend tumataas kaya dapat mapaliit ang demand," Aglipay said as he
estimated the illegal drug industry in the country to be worth at P250
billion annually, as the price of shabu in the streets has skyrocketed from
P150 a pack two years ago to P500 this year due to the intensified drive of
the government against shabu manufacturing laboratories.

"The fight against illegal drugs is the priority of President Arroyo"
Aglipay said as he stated that the president envisions the country to be
drug free before her six-year term ends.

He said church leaders will help promote the government campaign against
drug abuse in church sermons.

Aglipay said the police will also intensify the crackdown against policemen
using illegal drugs or protecting drug traffickers.

The police will continue conducting surprise drug test among police officers
to cleanse the ranks of drug users.

The Northern Police District Office (NPDO) recently conducted a surprise
drug test to determine who among the 1,700 local police officers are using
illegal drugs.

Chief Supt. Marcelino Franco, NPDO chief, said that 32 policemen were the
first batch to provide urine samples for the drug test.

"We conducted drug tests to determine the policemen who use prohibited drugs
and as part of the government's all out antidrug campaign," Franco said.

Policemen will be selected randomly to undergo the test in compliance with
the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act which mandates the police, military
and other law enforcement agencies to conduct drug tests on their personnel
every year.

"Despite the provision in the antidrugs law, the test could not be conducted
to every policeman in the country because of lack of funds. Money for drug
testing was not included in the National Police budget this year," Franco
said.

"Very few police districts are chosen to undergo drug test, the NPD was
lucky because we will be able to cleanse our police ranks against
scalawags," Franco added.

Intelligence reports revealed that there are some policemen who are involved
in illegal drug operations.

Franco said policemen who are found positive of drug use will be immediately
dismissed from the service.