Pubdate: Wed, 18 May 2005
Source: Philippine Star (Philippines)
Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2005
Contact:  http://www.philstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622
Author: Cecille Suerte Felipe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines

DRUG ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY TO OPEN IN CAVITE

United States Embassy charge d'affaires Joseph Mussomeli will
inaugurate today the country's first academy of the Philippine Drug
Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Silang, Cavite as part of the
government's efforts to address the worsening problem on illegal drugs.

Mussomeli will be joined by Capt. William Roig, deputy director of the
Joint Interagency Task Force West (JIATF West), PDEA Director Anselmo
Avenido and Philippine Public Safety College president Margarita
Cojuangco at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes will be the guest
speaker at the event to be held in the compound of the Philippine
National Police Academy in Silang at around 10 a.m.

Senior Superintendent Bernardo Bondoc, PDEA spokesman, said the US
Drug Enforcement Administration and the JIATF West provided funds for
the renovation of the buildings that now serve as the PDEA Academy.

The PDEA Academy will be the center for training of future PDEA
agents, Bondoc said.

"Training of future PDEA agents will be different from the training
and education of personnel of the PNP. Future PDEA agents should be
college graduates with a degree in criminology, chemists or lawyers,"
he said.

According to Bondoc, the PDEA was created in 2002 under Republic Act
9165 and is now in a "transition period" as its current personnel are
from the PNP.

"After the transition period, PDEA agents must come from the PDEA
Academy while PNP personnel (have the option to) go back to the police
force or stay with the agency," he said. 
- ---