A WAR THAT MUST BE WON

These arrests we want to see. Authorities have identified 27 major
drug syndicates operating in the country, including the leaders and
key members. The newly created Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency,
patterned after the DEA in the United States, submitted the list of
suspected drug traffickers to the House oversight committee on illegal
drugs. If the drug dealers have been identified, they must be arrested.

The PDEA list shows most of the drug rings are engaged in the
trafficking of shabu. Many of the suspected drug dealers are
Filipino-Chinese; several are Chinese citizens. There are some
interesting names, particularly those associated with the Kuratong
Baleleng group, whose main operation used to be robbery. The group,
which has also been linked to large-scale smuggling, is said to be
operating in Mindanao.

The war against drugs has always been an uphill battle. Demand for
drugs has not slackened, and the only thing that keeps changing over
the years is the drug of choice. From opium, drug abusers moved on to
its derivatives, then to synthetic drugs and marijuana. These days the
popular drugs are methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and Ecstasy.

Drug abuse is a social problem. The government can't do anything
about peer pressure or the personal problems that drive individuals to
take mind-altering drugs. But faced with a continuing demand for
prohibited products, the government can and must cut off supply. Over
the years the biggest hindrance to the anti-drug campaign is the
involvement of law enforcers and public officials themselves in the
illicit drug trade.

This is one of the most lucrative illegal activities in the world, and
if left unchecked, it can destroy a nation. Colombia is a prime
example of how the illegal drug trade can turn into a monster. Now
that the PDEA has identified the major drug rings in the Philippines,
they must be busted and all the major traffickers arrested. The drug
dealers' coddlers in the police, military and government must be
ferreted out. Their money laundering activities must be stopped. This
is one war the government can't afford to lose.