HARSHER DRUGS BILL OKD - 99G OF SHABU MEANS DEATH

Ecstasy included

TO SHOW the government's resolve in stamping out the drug menace, the
Senate Wednesday passed a bill that seeks to punish with lethal
injection anyone caught with at least 99 grams of methamphetamine
hydrochloride, popularly known as shabu.

Under the present law, the death penalty is imposed only on those
found with at least 200 grams of shabu.

The proposed Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, certified by
Malaca=F1ang as urgent, was approved on second and final reading after
only two days of deliberation.

"This bill seeks to provide more teeth to the campaign against the
menace of illegal drugs,'' Senate President Franklin Drilon said.

"Let drug pushers and users be warned that the government will not
bend in its resolve to put an end to the scourge of illegal drugs,''
he added.

The proposed measure also seeks to impose the death penalty on drug
users found with at least 500 grams of marijuana or 10 grams of
Ecstasy, LSD, opium, morphine, heroin or cocaine.

Under the 30-year-old Dangerous Drugs Act, capital punishment is meted
out only to those in possession of at least 750 grams of marijuana.

The present law also does not consider Ecstasy, popular among
teenagers, a prohibited drug.

The proposed measure also seeks to impose a fine ranging from 500,000
pesos to 10 million pesos on major offenders.

A total of 18 senators voted in favor of the bill. Senate Minority
Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., an opponent of the death penalty, voted
against the measure but later withdrew his vote.

Senators Joker Arroyo, Francis Pangilinan and Ralph Recto abstained
from the voting, saying they favored the bill but opposed the death
penalty.

"Had we voted for the bill, it would appear we are also for the death
penalty that we can never adhere to,'' Arroyo said.

"On the other hand, if we voted against the bill, it would look like
we are against the Dangerous Drugs Act which we are in favor of,'' he
added.