ARROYO SHIFTS ANTI-CRIME DRIVE TO DRUG SYNDICATES

After the government has significantly neutralized kidnaping threats,
President Macapagal Arroyo is shifting her anticrime drive to drug
syndicates operating in the country.

Aiming for a drug-free Philippines by 2005, the President yesterday launched
a "sustained and high-intensity campaign" to eliminate the illegal drug
trade and manufacturing in the country.

In a meeting at Malacanang, Ms. Macapagal directed the Philippine National
Police (PNP) to coordinate with the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and the
Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in releasing the order of battle
against all drug syndicates by Saturday.

"With the very significant degrading of the anti-kidnaping and terrorist
groups...now we have to put a lot of stress on the anti-drug campaign," she
said.

Arroyo cited the series of successful campaigns against kidnaping and other
criminal groups particularly the Pentagon KFR gang and the demise of its
leader Faisal Marohombsar.

The Pentagon leader was killed during a shootout with the combined military
and police operatives in Magallanes, Cavite last Sunday in the course of
rescuing their victim, Patricia Chong.

The President urged the DDB and PDEA officials to finalize the order of
battle listing the main target personalities and syndicates involved in
illegal drugs in every province, city, municipality, town, and barangay.

She noted the drug problem is an underpinning problem in the government's
efforts to improve the peace and order situation.

"Many of those rogues that you would see behind me during many of the times
when I went to the police to congratulate them, many of them were on drugs
when they were arrested. They were on drugs when they were doing their
crimes," she said.

"This (anti-drug campaign) is a very important leg of our peace and order
campaign," she added.

The President is optimistic the combined efforts of the revitalized DDB and
PDEA in coordination with local police and government units would result in
an effective drive to eliminate the drug menace in society.

"Nais kong ulitin ang sinabi ko sa aking SONA na lalabanan natin ang ilegal
na droga katulong na pagpapatupan ng supply and demand reduction strategy,"
she said.

Lina, in the same briefing, said the DDB aims to eradicate the drug problem
by the year 2005.

He said the DILG has also began reorganizing the Anti-Drug Abuse Councils
(ADACs) nationwide down to the lowest barangay level.

"Per town and city, there will be an order of battle and the police in the
municipality and city in coordination with local executives, they will
formulate and set up their order of battle so that users and pushers are
identified and law enforcement will be faster," he said.

According to Lina, there are at least 1.8 million regular users of illegal
drugs in the country and another 1.6 million "casual" drug users.

Some P300 billion worth of illegal drugs are sold in the black market in the
country every year.