ALVAREZ OPEN TO 'ANTI-DRUG CZAR' ROLE

Confirms 'Political Pressure'

FROM running after illegal loggers to catching drug dealers? That's not a
bad idea, as far as outgoing Environment Secretary Heherson Alvarez is
concerned. He told the Inquirer on Sunday he was seriously considering the
President's offer for him to become the country's next"anti-drug czar."

"I do not run away from a social obligation," Alvarez said.

With some 30 percent of Filipino youths victimized by illegal drugs, he
said, narcotics has become a big social and political problem.

"I am seriously considering the other position with a Cabinet rank offered
by the President. I serve at the pleasure of the President, and I abide by
her decisions," he said.

Alvarez just recently led a raid on the Kasibu Sawmill in Real, Quezon,
confiscating some 120,000 board feet of narra and lauan logs and lumber
worth six million pesos.

Under Alvarez, reports from his office show, the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources has seized 21,126 cubic meters of illegally cut
forest products valued at 63 million pesos, and filed 323 cases in court
against the violators.

It issued 66 cease-and-desist orders against polluters, withdrew anomalous
environmental clearance certificates such as those of the Pulupandan Coal
Power Plant in Negros Occidental and Aglubang Mining Corp. in Oriental
Mindoro, closed open dumps in nine municipalities and five cities, and
negotiated for the payment of 13 million dollars in damages and
rehabilitation by Placer Dome Technical Services for the Marcopper disaster
in Marinduque.

Alvarez said he was carefully studying the President's offer to head the
Presidential Drug Enforcement Agency.

But his wife Cecille, a theater artist and currently an advocate for
persons with disabilities, said Alvarez would continue to fight for the
environment even if he was out of the DENR.

"Sonny (Alvarez) is one who does not turn his back on public service, kahit
na mahirap para sa pamilya (even if it's difficult for the family)," Ms
Alvarez told radio station dzBB. "Even before he became senator, (when) we
were in exile (during martial rule), we were fighting for the environment,"
she said.

The Alvarezes founded the non-government organization Earthsavers Movement.

The outgoing secretary confirmed that "political pressure" on the President
from some power blocs did him in.

"The President has been under heavy political pressure to have me removed
from the DENR. She needs elbow room, and I'll give her that," Alvarez said.

"Maybe in the position being offered to me, wala nang mga asungot na
nagsusumbong sa President pag di napagbibigyan (there would be no lobbyists
who will complain to the President when they're not given favors)," he said.