Pubdate: Thu, 19 Aug 2004 Source: People's Journal (Philippines) Copyright: 2004 People's Journal Contact: http://www.journal.com.ph/contactus.asp Website: http://www.journal.com.ph/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3381 Author: Alfred Dalizon Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) CIA DIDN'T NAME RP AS HEROIN EXPORTER PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency chairman Anselmo S. Avenido Jr. yesterday scored erroneous reports that the Philippines is now an exporter of heroin. "The Philippines is not an exporter of heroin," Avenido said as he took exception to a report that the country now exports the illegal drug to Asian countries, the United States and other western nations. According to him, the US Central Intelligence Agency indeed released its World Factbook 2004 last May which described the production and distribution of heroin as a growing concern in many parts of the world, apart from shabu, marijuana and hashish. However, it did not name the Philippines as a source of heroin. "Nowhere in the CIA World Factbook 2004 is the Philippines mentioned as an exporter of heroin PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency head Anselmo Avenido and Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo prepare to present an award to an active supporter of the anti-drugs campaign during the PDEA celebration of its second anniversary Tuesday. Photo by Danny Querubin to Asian countries, the United States and other western nations," he said during the 2nd anniversary celebration of the PDEA graced by Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo. "We are not producers of heroin and there is no report coming from other countries that the heroin they have seized came from us. I have also checked with our counterparts at the US Drug Enforcement Administration to verify the report and they said there is no such report," he said. Filipino drug addicts are also not known for using heroin due to its unavailability and much higher price compared to shabu and marijuana. A kilo of shabu costs as much as P2 million on the local market but can be sold retail at prices ranging from P100 to P2,000. Marijuana costs as much as P2,000 a kilo or at least P10 a stick. Avenido said the Philippines continues to share with other its countries information and expertise in the field of drug law enforcement to address regional and international concerns on illegal drug trafficking and abuse. President Macapagal-Arroyo, through Secretary Romulo, lauded the PDEA for its successful anti-illegal drug campaign which has resulted in the seizure of more than P2 billion worth of shabu and its precursors since 2001. Romulo reiterated the Chief Executive's directive to the PDEA officers and men to press the fight against drug traffickers, particularly the "big fish," and local syndicates behind the large-scale distribution and sale of illegal drugs, including shabu and marijuana. She also ordered the dismantling of international drug pipelines in the country and a massive information drive aimed at mustering the support of the citizenry in the anti-drug crackdown. Avenido said the "hands-on" style of the President is largely instrumental in the success of the campaign which so far have resulted in the dismantling of more than a dozen shabu laboratories and warehouses in different parts of Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog and the arrest of some of the most wanted foreign drug personalities including Jackson Dy, tagged as behind the operation of the biggest shabu lab smashed by the PDEA and the Philippine National Police in Tanza, Cavite.