Pubdate: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 Source: Manila Bulletin (The Philippines) Contact: http://www.mb.com.ph/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/906 Author: Sel A. Baysa Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) ROLE OF ANTI-DRUG AGENCY CITED QUEZON CITY - Retired Gen. Anselmo Avenido, chief of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), over the weekend said the antidrug agency "does not nor thought of harnessing private individuals as field agents." Appearing at the weekend radio program "Handog na Pag-asa," he made the clarification on the wake of two separate incidents of arrest on alleged PDEA agents for extortion activities in Central Luzon. He told program hosts broadcast/journalist Gem Bilasano and Belen Gonong, and Ed Castillo, an anti-drug advocate, that the PDEA has tapped fieldmen from the Philippine National Police (PNP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Bureaus of Customs and Immigration in its effort to rid the country of prohibited drugs. "Handog," now on its first month, is a joint project of the Philippine Broadcasting System (PBS) Radyo ng Bayan (RNB), the National Press Club (NPC) Committee on Education and Scholarship, and the Seagulls Flight Foundation, Inc., (SFFI), a leading local drug rehabilitation center. In the one-hour radio interview, the PDEA official took exception to a published report (not in the Manila Bulletin) that the Philippines is fast becoming an exporter of prohibited drugs including shabu and cocaine. Avenido pointed out that records PDEA obtained from the United States' Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) have categorically denied the news item. He said news of this import must be doubled check because at stake is the integrity of the Filipinos on one hand and the Philippines on the other. At the same time, Avenido said the PDEA, in compliance to the directive issued by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has intensified its drive against the illicit trafficking of prohibited and banned drugs and stop drug addiction on the helpless youths. He urged the public to help the PDEA in its objective as he cited the important role of the citizenry play in the success of the anti-drug campaign.