Pubdate: Fri, 17 Mar 2006
Source: Philippine Star (Philippines)
Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2006
Contact:  http://www.philstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622
Author: Sandy Araneta
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines

PDEA CHIEF SAYS GOV'T WINNING WAR ON DRUGS

The chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said the
government has been winning the war on illegal drugs.

Speaking at the Fernandina Media Forum in San Juan the other day, PDEA
Director Anselmo Avenido said there are several indicators that would
prove their claim of success.

"We could say we are succeeding since, at the moment, shabu now is
very scarce. In fact, the price of shabu has gone up to 5,000 or more
per gram from P2,000 after we were able to cut the supply," Avenido
said.

He explained that the recent news stories on a recent US government
report did not paint the entire picture of the situation.

Last week, the US State Department called the Philippines "a drug
trafficker's paradise," saying the illegal drug trade in the country
has evolved into a billion-dollar industry.

"Parang lumabas na negative ang report. But if you look at the whole
report, there are several positives points that were mentioned. The
report said despite limited resources, our law enforcement efforts are
considered effective. This is positive. It was also mentioned that the
government is now addressing this problem," he said.

Avenido said the country has a national anti-drug strategy, as well as
a national anti-drug program of action.

He denied that the country is now a haven for traffickers, saying the
Manila country office of the US Drug Enforcement Agency only cited a
geographical description of the Philippines.

"This was not a statement of fact, but a statement of possibility. The
report, made annually by the US State Department, is used by their
decision makers in allocating funds for the anti-drug campaign for
other countries," Avenido said.

He said if the US tags a country as drug free, they will no longer
give support to that particularly country, he explained.

Avenido said the Philippine government attends to institution building
so that agencies can perform anti-drug functions properly.

President Arroyo has issued an executive order directing law
enforcement agencies to create anti-drug task forces to assist the
PDEA during this transition period.

He said PDEA, now in a transition period, will be a full-pledged
agency in July 2007, having its own personnel.

The anti-drug law states it should be the only agency authorized to
conduct anti-drug operations, he said. The other law enforcement
agencies can only provide assistance. 
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MAP posted-by: Tom