ANTI-DRUG AGENCY LAUNCHED

A seminar-workshop for regional directors of the newlyformed
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has been launched at the
MultiPurpose Center, Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Deputy DirectorGeneral (ret.) Anselmo Avenido, PDEA director-general,
said the seminar-workshop participated in by PDEA regional directors,
was in line with the activation of the PDEA.

Cebu Rep. Antonio Cuenco, chairman of the House of committee on
dangerous drugs as the guest speaker, urged the signing of a bilateral
agreement between the Philippines and the People's Republic of China
(PROC) to curb illegal drug trafficking in the country.

Cuenco said 80 percent of the total prohibited drugs mostly shabu,
being smuggled to the Philippines came from PROC.

According to Avenido other similar seminars for PDEA personnel would
be held in the wake of the fullblast PDEA operation.

He said some of the PDEA personnel to be recruited would be active
policemen who were members of the soon to be dissolved Narcotics Group
(Nargroup) of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Other personnel to be absorbed by the PDEA will be operatives of the
Narcotics Divisions of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and
the Bureau of Customs.

These personnel will all attend PDEA sseminarworkshops for their
absorption to the PDEA.