EXPECT BETTER PERFORMANCE FROM PDEA AGENTS, SAYS AVENIDO

EXPECT a better performance from antidrug operatives soon, the Philippine
Drug Enforcement Agency said on Sunday.

PDEA Director Anselmo Avenido Jr. said law-enforcement personnel tasked to
go against the illegal drug trade have improved their skills after
completing the Clandestine Laboratory Site Safety and Chemical Control
seminars early this month.

The seminars were conducted by Timothy C. Neal, country attache of the US
Drug Enforcement Administration, and other DEA agents.

"The International Chemical Control Seminar honed the sills of antidrug
personnel on how to counteract and investigate the diversion of controlled
precursors and essential chemicals; the Clandestine Laboratory Site Safety
Seminar was designed to develop and improve the capabilities of the PDEA in
dismantling shabu laboratories, securing them and documenting the necessary
pieces of evidence," Avenido said.

He said the seminars also served as venue to share information and
expertise with other drug law-enforcement agencies from other countries.

The PDEA and the law-enforcement agencies under its control are monitoring
the operation of companies licensed to handle certain chemicals to make
sure these are not diverted to manufacture illegal drugs, said Avenido.