NBI seeks P82-M budget for intensified anti-drug campaign

President Arroyo was asked to allocate a P82-million budget for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to sustain the nationwide campaign against illegal drugs.

The requested budget would help the bureau neutralize Level 1 and 2 drug pushers, including politicians, public officials, judges, prosecutors, law enforcers coddling and protecting drug lords and pushers, said lawyer Ruel Lasala, chief of the NBI-Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force.

In a letter to the President signed by NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco, Lasala said the P82 million will be taken from the P1 billion initially allocated by President Arroyo when she ordered an intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

Lasala noted the NBI’s current budget for the illegal drugs campaign cannot sustain a nationwide drive, considering the number of people and expenses the bureau might incur in the course of the operation.

"To neutralize high Level 1 and 2 drug traffickers in a span of six months, the bureau needs P15.840 million," said Lasala. "The Level 3, which covers drug pushers and their protectors, needs P5.22 million to neutralize them."

Lasala said the remaining P61 million will be used to organize programs to further strengthen the campaign, train and equip anti-illegal drug agents.

It was a group of NBI agents that intercepted some 503 kilos of shabu to be brought to Manila by a Quezon province mayor and his two Chinese companions.

Assisted by the Philippine National Police (PNP), the NBI also seized 350 kilos of shabu and arrested three Chinese nationals at the San Narciso bridge in Zambales.

Lasala also cited the recapture of Chinese national Frank Chua, who escaped from detention at Camp Crame after he was arrested for importing 53 kilos of high grade shabu.

As part of the effort to intensify the campaign, the bureau started yesterday a two-day seminar that would educate agents on Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

On the first day of the seminar, Malabon Executive Judge Benjamin Aquino lectured the agents on the newly enacted law, which calls for a higher penalty on drug offenders.

Under RA 9165, Aquino said, selling of shabu, regardless of quantity, is a non-bailable offense. Under the old law, those caught selling shabu could still post bail as long as the quantity is less than 200 grams.

Lasala said Aquino is the best person to lecture the agents after having served as prosecutor for 20 years before becoming a judge in 1986.