RP, US HOLD 'NARCO-TERRORISM' TRAINING IN CORDILLERA

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet-Agents of the US Drug Enforcement Agency ( USDEA ) and their Filipino counterparts from the regional military and police commands, as well as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency ( PDEA ) in the Cordillera Administration Region, started on Monday a 26-day training against "narco-terrorism."

Called "Baker Piston 04-2," the training involved a total of 110 participants, according to officials.

The venue is the Philippine Military Academy, where military personnel and policemen, in particular, would be trained on how to effectively assist the PDEA in the campaign against illegal drugs.

Police have admitted that the Cordilleras supply 70 percent of the marijuana and marijuana products being used by illegal drug users nationwide.

Chief Supt.  Rowland Albano, the Cordillera regional police director, told a press briefing that Filipino policemen and soldiers as well as the PDEA agents would be taught how to identify and preserve evidence as well as how to gather intelligence reports and establish linkages with other concerned public and private groups.

Albano also told reporters the joint training was the culmination of a long-time plan of the police and military regional commands as well as the office of the PDEA in the Cordilleras.

Albano expressed optimism the training would benefit immensely those involved in the antidrug campaign in the region.

In Camp Allen in Baguio City, Lt.  Col.  Elias Escharca, the group commander of the Armed Forces Civil Relations Service for the Ilocos and Cordilleras, reported that coordination with the local government units and the community was conducted before the training started.

"It will not disrupt the residents in the local communities since the training would take place in classrooms," Escharca assured.

From the Cordilleras, the Usdea agents are to hold similar training sessions in Davao City.

Earlier, PNP Deputy Director Virtus Gil, the former Cordillera police regional director, supported the plan to hold such training in the region.

Gil noted that the Cordilleras supply the bulk of the marijuana produced in the country and shipped clandestinely from the Mt.  Province, Benguet, Kalinga and Ifugao.