CHILDREN TO LEAD ANTI-DRUG CHARGE

President Gloria Arroyo yesterday deputed over 15,000 children, from six to
12 years old, to fight illegal drugs, in her effort to weed out
international and local drugs lords whom she said have installed
politicians in government posts.

In a campaign called Children Against Drug (Batang Iwas Droga or BIDA), at
Manila's Luneta Grandstand, Arroyo said the children would be taught about
the dangers of drug abuse, adding the campaign should strengthen the
Filipino family.

President Arroyo swore in the 15,000 children as members of the newly
formed BIDA Club, adding they will serve as role models and spokespersons
of the youth's anti-drug campaign.

On May 28, top executives of BIDA Productions, Inc. , the outfit that
handles the implementation of the project, signed a memorandum of agreement
with representatives of various government agencies such as the Philippine
Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), the Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and Government Service Insurance System (GSIS),
for the anti-illegal drug campaign.

BIDA features a 13-episode animated series for television, showing the
adventures of three young superheroes and their mission to stop the spread
of the drug menace in the country.

The characters of the three animation superheroes are Luzy, Victor and
Mindo, who represent the country's three regions, Luzon, Visayas, and
Mindanao. They are orphans with superhuman powers which they used in
fighting drugs international and local drug lords who have infiltrated the
country.

The first BIDA episode will be shown on TV on June 28, from 10:30am to 11am
over the government's NBN Television Channel 4.

Meanwhile, Arroyo vowed to expose drug protectors, coddlers, and financiers
in the Philippine National Police (PNP) and in government service as part
of her campaign in fighting abuse of the illegal drugs in the country.

"I want to expose the druglords, no matter how high they are in government.
The campaign is against those who push drugs and those in government and
especially in uniform who protect them," Arroyo said, adding, "We will hunt
down the leaders (of the drug syndicates), in the highest positions, their
protectors in the police and government."

"We must concentrate on exposing the big fish at the highest levels
possible - police and government patrons are a priority," she said.

Earlier, she vowed to neutralise 13 international and 175 local drug
syndicates which have used the Philippines as a major trafficking
transhipment point.

"Everyone must be on board. This is a fight of the Filipino people. We have
the will and the numbers to bring this menace to its knees," she said,
adding the perennial drug problem has reached an alarming proportion that
could no longer be ignored.

Opposition senators Rodolfo G. Biazon and Panfilo Lacson said the current
campaign against illegal drugs launched by Arroyo deserves support, but
added the executive department has been persecuting political enemies in
its anti-illegal drug campaign.

Biazon said agencies under the campaign should stop linking opposition
leaders to illegal drug trade unless they have a "mass of evidence" that
can stand in court.

Lacson chided Col. Victor Corpus, chief of the Intelligence Service of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines (IASFP), for using the campaign politically.

Corpus led those who accused Lacson, a former national police chief, of
having protected illegal drug syndicates.

Lacson wanted to run as the presidential candidate of the opposition.
Arroyo earlier declared she will not run for the presidency in 2004, but
her partymates at Lakas said they want her to be the ruling party's
presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, pro-administration Sen. Robert Barbers aired several conditions
before accepting the presidential palace's offer for him to head the
anti-illegal drug campaign.

"The presidential palace should start executing those convicted of
violating the country's dangerous drugs act and were meted the death
penalty Barbers said, adding the executive department should also lift the
moratorium on the execution of drug-related death row convicts.

Earlier, President Arroyo directed officers of the Presidential Drug
Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to get operational instructions from Barbers, a
former Manila police colonel.