AGLIPAY REPORTS BIG ACCOMPLISHMENTS AGAINST DRUGS IN 2003

CEBU CITY - The war on drugs of the national government has chalked up
in the last six months this year the biggest haul so far in the entire
history of the campaign, believed to be two-fold bigger than the
accomplishments of 13 presidents put together since the time of Aguinaldo.

In a year-end report to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Deputy
Director General Edgardo B. Aglipay, chief of the PNP Anti-Illegal
Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AID-SOT, SOG) said that the most
important accomplishments occurred in the third and last quarters of
2003, notably the seizure of over P12.77 billion worth of illegal
drugs and the arrest of 23,425 drug offenders across the country from
July to December this year.

Nationwide, the Task Force filed 16,6651 criminal complaints in court
for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, but
Aglipay cautioned arresting policemen to assist prosecutors in
pursuing the cases and get conviction against the suspects.

Nationwide also, the Task Force neutralized 143 local groups, cleared
3,571 drug-affected barangays, and raided and knocked out 16 shabu
factories and clandestine laboratories, including warehouses or drug
storage facilities in Metro Manila and nearby areas in Cavite,
Batangas, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal.

Aglipay pointed out that although this was considered a bountiful
harvest that has never happened before, he exhorted his men in the
Special Operations Group not to be wary with the humble accomplishment
but even work double time and double effort to crush illegal drug
trades completely out of business.

Aglipay stressed that the tremendous success of the campaign was
brought about by the teamwork of the Task Force and the Philippine
Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) headed by retired Police Deputy
Director General Anselmo Avenido that President Arroyo has put
together to bring the war on illegal drugs to the smallest and
remotest village in the country.

Aglipay, who is PNP deputy chief for administration took the cudgels
for his commander-in chief, and together with Avenido, are fighting
the crippling social menace to save the country from the clutches of
drug lords.

The Task force immediately plunged headlong into the campaign and in
six months raided 16 well-enthrenched clandestine laboratories which
have been operating for so long with impunity.

Aglipay veered away from the traditional police work by doing away
with suspicious characters in the network, and relied heavily on the
cooperation of concerned civilians and the general public.

The consistent and airtight teamplay of his men and the regional
police commanders down to the precinct level have made it largely
possible to accomplish the gigantic task in a matter of six months,
Aglipay pointed out.

Aglipay vowed to continue the war on illegal drugs without let-up in
accordance with the directive issued by President Arroyo to eliminate
drug lords and their "padrinos." The President gave him and Avenido a
thumbs up for the initial success of the campaign.