PDSP JOINS BATTLE V. ILLEGAL DRUGS

THE Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas (PDSP) has joined the
national government in its anti-drug campaign and drive against lawless
elements.

Juanito "Ka Ani" F. Lagao, provincial chairman of the PDSP, announced on
Friday that the PDSP aims to help transform the country's society.

"We want it to become a real democratic community committed to the moral
worth of all Filipinos for the development of individual personalities and
capabilities," Lagao said.

He said in doing so, the PDSP has decided to join and assist in the mass
campaign in eradicating and monitoring of lawless elements such as
terrorism, insurgency and other lawless elements through mass participation
of PDSP membership in the entire country.

Lagao, who is also the provincial chairman of the two districts of La Union
province, said though, that his group in the two provinces (Pangasinan and
La Union) has agreed to focus their campaign in helping solve the rampant
drugs problem that is now obviously slowly destroying the youths.

"We opted to focus mainly on illegal drugs campaign because we don't put to
an end to this problem, years from now, there will be no longer individuals
who we can talk to with a sound mind. Lahat ng tao na gumagamit ng bawal na
droga ngayon, may posibilidad na pagdating ng panahon, puro na sila mga
sira-ulo," Lagao pointed out.

He, however, clarified that it is not within their task to apprehend
illegal drug pushers and users, but rather to only monitor these suspected
illegal drug traders and users whom they shall report to the authorities
for proper legal action and disposition.

"In the coming days from now, our provincial group will sit down with the
concerned law enforcement agencies against illegal drugs and we shall
properly coordinate with them," said Lagao.

PDSP is a consultative member of the Socialist International represented in
105 countries, which many of the most progressive countries in the world
are governed or have governed for a long period, by social democrats
similar to the PDSP.

In the Philippines, PDSP is a nationwide political party drawn from all
classes and sectors in the society from workers, fisher-folks, women,
youth, indigenous communities, urban poor, religious and progressive
elements among professionals and businessmen.

Some of the salient points and achievements in the history of the PDSP
established in May 1, 1973 include:

* Undertaking a leading role in the difficult task of establishing and
expanding a progressive and democratic alternative to the Marcos
dictatorship and to Marxism-Leninism. It made an important contribution to
the mass campaigns that eventually led to the people's revolution in 1986
and the ousting of former President Joseph Estrada in the year 2002

* Helped much to consolidate the newly restored democracy, especially
through education and mobilization among all sectors and the indigenous
people of Luzon and Mindanao; and

* Mainly through its members in the people's organization and
non-government organizations, PDSP has helped much draft socially
progressive and people laws and government regulations, especially in
relation to issues and concerns of all sectors of the Philippine society.

Heading the Education Commission of the PDSP is Father Romeo Intingan, S.J.
(Father Provincial of the Order of Jesuits), while its national chairman is
Secretary Norberto Gonzales, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's adviser on
special concerns.

As this developed, Mayor Benjamin S. Lim has permitted Lagao, who is also
the administrator of Tondaligan Park, to render services to the PDSP
insofar as the mass campaign is concerned.