ARROYO ALERTS LOCAL OFFICIALS ON NPA

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo alerted yesterday chief local government
executives against the heightened activities of the New People's Army (NPA)
in some 500 barangays nationwide, notably in areas where marijuana
plantations are purportedly being maintained by communist rebels.

The President raised the alarm as she presided yesterday morning's meeting
of the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security where she was
briefed on the alleged links of some local executives with communist
insurgents suspected to be operating marijuana plantations in their
jurisdiction.

"Secretary (Jose) Lina reported to the President that he has gotten in
touch with some local government unit heads who are suspected of having
dealt with these (insurgent) groups. A number of them indicated willingness
to cooperate," presidential spokesperson Ignacio Bunye said in his press
briefing.

Lina, a former Laguna governor, had earlier pledged to reveal the
identities of drug lords and their protectors in the government as evidence
is being built up to warrant their immediate suspension and eventual
prosecution for their alleged participation to the illegal drug trade
activities within their jurisdiction.

Bunye said although the President has not given an ultimatum for these
conniving chief local government executives, she is hopeful that they will
cooperate with the Arroyo government in attaining its three-month target of
reducing by one-third percent the spread and abuse of illegal drugs in the
country.

"They have been notified by (Secretary) Lina and (Philippine National
Police Director General Hermogenes) Ebdane," he said, as he reiterated the
government policy direction of redeploying government troops and resources
to give the anti-illegal drugs campaign the muchneeded push it deserves.

During the COCIS meeting, about 500 out of the 420,000 barangays nationwide
have been placed under tight watch by military and police authorities due
to the "heightened activities" of the NPA, notably in areas where the
marijuana plantations are said to be operated and maintained by communist
insurgents.

According to Bunye, the marijuana plantations have been confirmed by Lina
and Ebdane to be located in undisclosed areas "controlled" by the NPA. He,
however, declined to state categorically in which way the NPA has been
benefiting from the operations of these marijuana plantations.

Bunye said the President tasked the concerned chief local government
executives to implement a comprehensive package of social, economic reforms
in these so-called "influenced" barangays in an attempt to lure them back
to the fold of law and give up their long armed struggle against the
government.

"The President would like to keep the door open to those who are willing to
renounce violence and those who are giving up plans to overthrow the
government," he said.

The peace negotiating panels of the government and the National Democratic
Front (NDF), the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines
(CPP), are tentatively scheduled to resume their stalled formal peace talks
by end of the month in Oslo, Norway.

However, the alleged involvement of communist insurgents in the illegal
drug trade activities has put the long-hoped-for resumption of the peace
talks in double peril due to the terrorist tag and the maintenance of
marijuana plantations by communist insurgents.

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents arrested four couriers of
"designer" drug ecstacy, including the son of a retired police officer in a
series of operations over the weekent on Ayala Center in Makati city,
report said yesterday. The government agents also seized high grade tablets.

NBI director Reynaldo Wycoco identified the suspects as Michael Balingit, a
young Makati executive; Oliver Barcelona, a university student; a certin
"Ozaki", and Don Aprid, reportedly son of a retired police colonel in
Southern Police District.

The operation was based on an information gathered by NBI informers
regarding the alleged drug trade of the group in Makati. Wycoco said that
during the weekend, the NBI launched an operation leading to the arrest of
Ozaki, Balingit and Barcelona in Glorietta Mall in Ayala Center, while
Aprid was apprehended in a parking lot at Greenbelt 3, also in Makati city.

NBI agents found on them more than 200 tablets of high grade ecstacy. The
illegal drugs was popularly known as "designers" because of widely used by
members of high class and elite Makati residents. Wycoco added that two
other suspect identified as Charles Lu and his wife Princess Basco eluded
arrest.

Wycoco said they will file charges of violation of R.A. 9165 before the
Department of Justice against the four suspects who are detained at the NBI
jail. Wycoco added that the arrest of the four suspects was based on hard
cam,paign by the government on rampant illegal drug pushers and users in
the country.-(Vic Vega)