PNP to brief GMA today on anti-drug drive

President Arroyo meets today with top officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) at Camp Crame in Quezon City to assess the fight against illegal drugs in 42,000 barangays nationwide.

PNP chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. will brief Mrs. Arroyo on the situation in drug-affected barangays.

PNP officials did not say if Mrs. Arroyo would discuss the planned reorganization of the PNP, which could affect 27 posts at national headquarters and the various regional commands.

Ebdane will be joined by top police officials from the directorial staff and the National Capital Region Police Office under Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco, and the five Metro Manila police directors and their station police chiefs.

In a statement, Ebdane said the PNP is waging a nationwide anti-drug campaign dubbed "Oplan Banat," which coordinates all law enforcement efforts against drug trafficking and abuse.

The PNP said Oplan Banat strikes at the roots of the drug problem through middle and street-level drug traffickers in communities.

While at Camp Crame, Mrs. Arroyo will lead the blessing of 100 motorcycles, 400 cellular phones, and 120,000 drug-testing kits acquired by the PNP anti-illegal drugs special operations task force.

The equipment will be issued to field units to boost their mobility, said Deputy Director General Edgar Aglipay, PNP deputy chief for administration and commander of the anti-drugs task force. — Christina Mendez