GOV'T TO PUBLISH NAMES OF DRUG LORDS

Authorities will publish the names of known drug traffickers and their
protectors in government to unmask them and deny them freedom of movement
"under cloak of legitimacy."

President Arroyo vowed yesterday she would be "relentless and
all-encompassing" in her month-old campaign to rid the country of drug
traffickers.

"The intelligence community maintains a list of the most notorious drug
lords and their coddlers," she said in a statement.

"That list will be disclosed in due time as information is gathered on
these personalities."

Speaking at the 27th general assembly and annual meeting of the
Bishops-Businessmen Conference for Human Development in Fort Bonifacio in
Makati, Mrs. Arroyo said she is committed to a "total war" against drug
syndicates.

"Drug lords must be exposed for what they are -- destroyers of our future,"
she said.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. said the names of big
time drug traffickers and their protectors would be made public after they
have been charged in court.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Lina has the authority, as
chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board, to reveal the names of drug traffickers.

"Secretary Lina has reported that they are about to name names but the
Dangerous Drugs Board and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency are still
gathering additional information, and then there will be publicly naming of
names," he said.

"Once we make public the names of these drug lords and their protectors, I
think our campaign against them would be intensified and I think their
movements would be limited."

Last month, police said nearly 16,000 people, including a number of alleged
Chinese and Japanese drug dealers, had been arrested over the past year.

Also last month, Mrs. Arroyo announced a heightened anti-drug campaign
after being inspired by the crackdown launched by Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra of Thailand.

Shinawatra declared war against drugs in February and has claimed success,
despite an outcry from human rights groups over the draconian methods used
by the government.

Police said at least 70 percent of all crimes in the country were drug-related.

Drug users number up to two million in a population of 80 million, police
added.

Authorities said 175 international and local drug gangs operate in the
country. -Marichu Villanueva, AFP