LINA ASKS SC FOR MORE COURTS TO HEAR DRUG CASES

SECRETARY Jose Lina of the Department of Interior and Local Government
asked Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide for more special
trial courts to hear drug cases, in view of the government's
intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

Lina said the 35 special trial courts hearing drug cases nationwide
were inadequate, considering the rising number of suspected drug
dealers that are being arrested and prosecuted.

To date more than 9,500 drug cases have been filed in court in
connection with the arrests and seizures made by the Philippine Drug
Enforcement Agency, the DILG chief said.

Lina, who also chairs the Dangerous Drugs Board, noted that from July
2002 to the present, the different law enforcement agencies under the
supervision of the PDEA have conducted more than 11,500 anti-drug operations.

The operations resulted in the arrest of nearly 14,500 persons,
including 8,000 users, 6,200 pushers, eight marijuana cultivators, 26
financiers and the seizure of more than 4.6 billion pesos worth of
illegal drugs, chemicals and equipment for drug manufacture, including
dried marijuana leaves and seeds, cocaine, Ecstasy tablets and shabu
(methamphetamine hydrochloride).

Lina said among those arrested were 19 Chinese, four Americans, three
Taiwanese, three Pakistanis and two Indonesians. He added that
nationals from Australia, Great Britain, South Korea, Germany, Brazil,
Israel, Japan and Jordan were also arrested.

Aside from the setting up of more trial courts, the interior secretary
asked for more jails for drug dealers and rehabilitation centers for
drug dependents who wished to "turn a new leaf in their lives."

Lina urged former drug dependents to help the government in its war
against illegal drugs by becoming productive citizens.