PRESIDENT ADMITS SHORTCOMINGS; SHABU LAB BUSTED

MANILA, Philippines (AP) - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo admitted
shortcomings in the war on drugs yesterday as police busted what they
called a major amphetamine (shabu) lab and arrested four Chinese and
two Filipinos.

Speaking at a meeting yesterday with relatives of addicts in
Malacanang, Arroyo said "the proliferation of drugs shows
government's failure to effectively enforce the law," but assured that
she was pushing the campaign against the problem.

She reiterated that she has set aside a P1-billion (US$18.7-million)
war chest against illegal drugs, a tenfold increase from previous funding.

Chief Supt. Jaime Caringal, the regional police chief, said the secret
drug factory in Silang, Cavite was raided yesterday following a tip
from residents.

The four-room bungalow was filled with sacks of chemicals, huge drums,
and equipment to manufacture methampethamine hydrochloride, also known
as "shabu" or poor man's cocaine, Caringal said. But he said the
suspects apparently not been able to mix the ingredients because they
had just moved in.

Caringal identified the men as Leandro Go, 52, William Chen, 21,
Wilson Lee, 29, and Daniel Co, 28, all from Fujian province. Their
Filipino associates were identified as Arnel Villaser and Michael Pandag.

"This is a major catch and we hope to get more suspects.
Unfortunately, the foreign suspects are not cooperating with us,
they're not talking," Cavite provincial police chief Senior Supt.
Roberto Rosales said.

Caringal said police stumbled on the lab after residents reported
hearing a loud explosion inside the house Thursday. The men refused
help, making neighbors suspicious and prompting them to call police.

Drug enforcement agency chief Anselmo Avenido said last month there
are about 3.4 million drug users in the Philippines, mostly using shabu.

He said about 13 foreign and 175 local drug syndicates operate in the
country, and police have seized about 5 billion pesos (US$94.3
million) worth of drugs and laboratory equipment and arrested 6,700
suspected pushers and traffickers over the past 10 months.

Robert Barbers, chairman of the Senate committee on public order and
illegal drugs, said 22 of 37 foreigners arrested in drug busts last
year were Chinese, indicating that drug syndicates from China "still
consider the Philippines as the main transhipment point of illegal
drugs to other countries."

DDB

The government is determined to win its fight against drug abuse and
trafficking and attain a drug-free Philippines in 2010, the Dangerous
Drugs Board (DDB) said today.

In a report to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and parents and
relatives of drug abuse victims at a meeting yesterday morning in
Malacanang, DDB Executive Director Efren Fernandez said that there
is now a "comprehensive, integrated, unified and balanced national
drug abuse prevention and control strategy."

"This scheme of action provides a definite long-range direction,
continuity and synergy of efforts, as well as blueprint for a
well-suited fighting machinery to ensure victory in the anti-drug
war," Fernandez said.

Fernandez said that with no less than the President in the frontline,
he is optimistic that the government will "prevail and emerge
victorious in our fight against the drug menace."

In the briefing, Fernandez expounded on the demand reduction strategy
of the DDB. The DDB was revitalized after the passage of Republic Act
9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

He said that the government hopes to reduce to zero or at least
minimize the profits from illicit drug activities through supply and
demand reduction, a concept that has proven effective worldwide.

Earlier, the President ordered the DDB, the Philippine Drug
Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and other law enforcement agencies to give
top priority to treatment and rehabilitation program for drug users.

The President has earmarked a standby fund of P1 billion for the
program, PERA, an acronym for Prevention, Enforcement, Rehabilitation,
and After-care.

During the series of command conferences on the anti-drug campaign
held in Malacanang, Marawi City, and at Clark in Angeles City, the
President ordered the setting up of al least one rehabilitation center
in every region in cooperation with the local government units and
various stakeholders in the localities concerned.

The President also ordered the Department of Health to put up
extensions in the provincial hospitals to serve as rehabilitation
centers and equip them with drug testing facilities.

She has also directed the Armed Forces to look into the possibility of
using some AFP camps as possible sites for rehabilitation centers,
such as Camp Upi in Isabela, Camp Aquino in Tarlac, Fort Magsaysay in
Nueva Ecija, Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal and Camp Nakar in Quezon.

Artists' support

Former beauty queen Isabel Lopez and a handful of actors who were once
users of illegal drugs yesterday showed up in Malacanang and
promised to support the government's anti-drug campaign.

Some 200 parents and relatives of drug dependents, including at least
10 artists led by Lopez, film director Tata Esteban, and character
actor Dick Israel attended the public forum presided by President
Arroyo along with top anti-drug enforcement authorities at the Palace.

"We are the first batch of actors and actresses who are here to
support this drive against drugs," she told the President.

Lopez, who was arrested for possession of illegal drugs in the past,
suggested to the President to include "spiritual strengthening" in the
government's drug rehabilitation program.

Esteban admitted he has been a drug addict for three decades. "I think
it's only by God's grace that we are saved. And I still believe that
with the power of Lord, nothing can go wrong," he said.

He said they wanted to support the Arroyo administration effort to
eliminate the drug menace not only in the movie industry.

Arroyo, in turn, asked the actors if they can star in government
infomercials on reporting drug users and pushers.

"Magtulungan tayo sa infomercials. Puwedeng gawing talents iyong mga
gustong tumulong," she said.n (Genalyn D. Kabiling)

Jaylo

Newly appointed Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) director
Reynaldo Jaylo expressed confidence yesterday that the government will
succeed in its anti-illegal drug campaign.

At the weekly media forum Newsstand at the Ambassador Hotel yesterday,
Jaylo said the enactment of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive
Dangerous Drugs Act 2002, has given more teeth to the government's
drive against drug trafficking.

Jaylo was appointed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as Director 3
of PDEA and received his marching orders only yesterday.

"I am still feeling my way around as I got my appointment only
yesterday. But it is easy for me to integrate with the agency as I
have worked with many PDEA officers and men in the past," he said.

Jaylo said the previous drive of the government to contain the drug
menace was not very successful because it lacks consistency.

"It's an on-and-off thing. That is why the drug problem has become
very endemic. We are now reaping the consequences of acts which either
took the drug problem lightly or lack of proper instruments to back us
up," he said.

The new law however has given law enforcement agencies more solid
ground to stand on and this "is very encouraging," he said

Jaylo however said that big money is behind the operations of drug
syndicates and "some of our law enforcers are caught in the web of
corruption woven by these highly financed syndicates and drug
traffickers."

"But these are only a few bad eggs, and despite the lack of funds and
equipments, our lawmen are unrelenting in their efforts against
illegal drugs," he said.