Arroyo orders campaign against drug lords

President Gloria Arroyo has started an anti-crime campaign against 226 drug lords in the Philippines, saying she wants them and their drug pushers banished in a year.

In a speech at the end of a drug enforcement workshop, Arroyo told the law enforcers, "Neutralise each identified target. We know that drug syndicates are allied with the syndicates behind human trafficking, arms smuggling, kidnapping and other crimes."

She added this is one of the reasons why catching the drug lords means the end of other criminal activities.

The policemen will have to work hard because there are 11 international gangs and 215 local gangs operating in the Philippines, Arroyo warned, adding she will give all the assistance needed to stop drug trafficking in the country.

Arroyo earlier created an anti-drug agency, the members of which have been assigned to target specific drug lords. Arroyo also called on other government agencies and the public to help the law enforcers catch drug lords and drug pushers, and seize factories of illegal drugs.

"If the government and the people join forces, it will be easier to cut off these links and eliminate these criminal groups," she said.

Authorities said there were 3.4 million drugs users in the country, 1.8 million of whom are regular users and 1.6 million are occasional users.

In May, Arroyo signed a bill passed by congress into law, which called for the death penalty for those arrested in possession of 10 grams of heroin or cocaine.

Officials of the Philippines Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) presented a list of 215 local drug syndicates and 11 transnational drug groups to Arroyo.

Of the 215 local drug groups, 116 are in Luzon, northern Philippines, 48 in the Visayas, central Philippines, and 51 in Mindanao, southern Philippines, PDEA said.

"Authorities are closely monitoring all of them, including their pushers," said the PDEA, but names of the people involved were not released.

At least 15,204 drug pushers are operating in the country, affecting about 3,588 villages, the PDEA said.

Arroyo directed the PDEA to coordinate its efforts with the Philippines national police and the national bureau of investigation, in the anti-illegal drug campaign.

The police should inform the PDEA of anti-illegal drugs operations within 24 hours from the time of actual custody of suspects or seizure of dangerous drugs and the paraphernalia of drug users, Arroyo said.

The president called on the Philippines national police (PNP), the national bureau of investigation (NBI) and other law enforcement agencies to help the PDEA in the fight against drug groups.

Jose Lina Jr., Secretary of the Local Government, has reorganised and revitalised the anti-drug abuse councils in all local government levels.

Arroyo has asked the city and town mayors to put up multi-sectoral anti-drug monitoring teams.

The PDEA will need all kinds of support though it cannot yet fully operate and its personnel and resources cannot yet efficiently carry out the provisions of the Dangerous Drugs Act.