Pubdate: Mon, 03 Mar 2003
Source: Manila Times (Philippines)
Copyright: 2003, The Manila Times
Contact:  http://www.manilatimes.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/921
Author: Anthony Vargas, Correspondent

DRUG ENFORCERS HAMSTRUNG BY LACK OF FUNDS

The traffic in and sale of illegal drugs has grown into a P300-billion
industry in the Philippines, with 226 syndicates as the main players,
according to the country's top drug-enforcer.

But despite this alarming growth, the Philippine Drug Enforcement
Agency has to make do with a P79-million budget, according
Undersecretary Anselmo Avenido Jr., PDEA director-general.

Avenido told The Manila Times that drug rings have become the
country's biggest law and order problem.

"In fact, drug pushing is now one of the most common street crimes,"
he said.

The syndicates thrive on a big market: about two million Filipinos are
drug users.

Avenido said the PDEA inherited the P79-million budget allocated for
the agency it replaced, the Philippine National Police Narcotics Command.

He said he welcomes the proposal of Sen. Panfilo Lacson that part of
the intelligence fund of Malacaqang be given to PDEA. "That would be a
great help to us," he said.

The PDEA replaced Narcom as the lead agency in fighting illegal drugs
last year, when President Arroyo signed the Comprehensive Drug Act of
2002 (R.A. 9165).

Despite meager resources, Avenido said the PDEA was able to bust 33
drug rings including one transnational syndicate last year.

He said eight percent of the country's 42,000 barangays have a drug
problem.

But help is on the way. A team of drug-enforcement experts from the
United Nations is due to arrive this month to train Filipino narcotics
agents, Avenido said.

The arrival of the UN team does not mean that the drug situation in
the country is getting worse, he said.

"The UN acknowledges that the drug menace is global in nature, and
they regularly send their men to help countries fight the drug
problem. We are just fortunate that this year, they choose to help
us," Avenido said.

The team "would conduct training on Drug Enforcement Network, which is
a computer-based program," Avenido said.

He said formal training of drug agents would begin in the middle of
the year after they, together with the UN team have ironed the details
of the training program. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake