NarcGroup budget for 2002 totals P64M

With an all-time high budget of P64 million this year, the anti-narcotics unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be able to purchase sophisticated armaments and investigative equipment for them to be in equal war-footing with the Hong Kong Triad and other bigtime drug syndicates.

Narcotics Group (Narcgroup) chief Director Efren Fernandez said President Arroyo was on the right direction when she acknowledged that narco-politics is the number one headache of her government, hence, she raised more than four times their budget this year.

"President Arroyo responded to our needs, that is by increasing our budget this year," said Fernandez in an interview. "With more money, we will expand our programs and projects in the fight against bigtime drug syndicates, some of whom are already well-organized and are using fronts in their illegal activities."

The NarcGroup budget in 1996 was P45 million, but the figure was decreased each year until it reached only P15 million last year.

"While bigtime drug syndicates operations go high-tech, our budget was shrinking," said Fernandez. With a small budget, Fernandez explained that the NarcGroup could not last long in the fight against big-time drug traffickers.

Despite their limited budget, however, NarcGroup was able to bust recently the Hong Kong Triad, an international drug syndicate operating in the country, with the arrest of seven undocumented Chinese nationals and the recovery of at least 60 kilos of shabu.

The government also raided the Hong Kong Triad’s warehouse in Paco and its front offices in Binondo, Manila which yielded documents showing the "paper trail’ of the organized crime group’s operations in the country.

But with an improved budget and President Arroyo’s full support, Fernandez said there’s no way for the government to lose the war against the Hong Kong Triad and other drug syndicates.

"For the first time in history, we have a budget which can meet our requirements and other needs," said Fernandez. "Now, "show money" will not be a problem for our operatives."

In the past, NarcGroup had to raise money from other sources to be used as "show money" during drug deals. A number of buy-bust operations was called off because of Anti-Narcotics agents’ failure to raise the needed cash.

According to Fernandez, NarcGroup intends to buy, through proper bidding, more armaments and special investigative equipment and surveillance vehicles. They will also be recruiting and training people while dismissing those who are found to have links with big-time drug syndicates. – Non Alquitran