President Gloria Arroyo on Monday ordered law enforcement authorities to wage a "fiercer war" against narcotics in the Philippines following a warning from anti-drug enforcers that the drug problem was a threat to national security.

In her speech at the 18th anniversary of the Philippine National Police, Mrs. Arroyo commended the PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for signing a memorandum of agreement to harmonize anti-drug operations in the country.

"I enjoin you to cooperate with PDEA, the local government units, and other agencies as we track down on the big drug lords. Let's wage a fiercer war against them on the fronts of law enforcement, judicial action, and policy making," the President said in her speech at Kiangan Hall, Camp Crame, Quezon City.

"Let us also endeavor to eliminate the number of drug cases dismissed due to mere technicalities. Let's make sure, by building up a good case, that they will go all the way to conviction," she added.    

Mrs. Arroyo has named herself the country's anti-drugs "czar," saying she needed to be directly involved in the campaign to save the judicial system from being totally corrupted by drug traffickers. The move came after five state prosecutors were asked to go on leave after PDEA agents said they were offered bribes to free three traffickers from prominent families.

PDEA chief General Dionisio Santiago earlier warned that narco-politics is affecting the country at all levels of politics, from the municipal to national level.

Santiago said that, in some cases, the drugs lords have become so rich they are able to bankroll their own campaign for public office, mostly at the municipal level, while others provide funds for their chosen candidates.

"The agency is closely watching and gathering intelligence information on a number of people," he said, refusing to be drawn on details. "You would be surprised with what I know."

Santiago said there are now 6.7 million Filipino drug users, mostly hooked on amphetamines and marijuana.

A UN report last year ranked the Philippines first for amphetamine abuse in Southeast Asia.

P300M housing project

Speaking before 125,000 members of the police force, Mrs. Arroyo said she has directed DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno to start the bidding for the P300 million housing project for the PNP.

"Over the weekend, I talked to the DBM Secretary (Rolando Andaya Jr.) to allocate P300 million for police housing. And the Secretary of Interior and Local Government will confirm to you that I instructed him to have the bidding for the whole amount done in the next few days," she said.

The President thanked the PNP for their dedication and duty, saying that they have successfully ensured that citizens can rest peacefully every day. From perceptions of doubt and fear, the President cited how the police has managed to regain the public's trust.

"Our policemen and women have been valuable contributors to the peace in Mindanao and to the peace all over the country--in the countryside, in the streets," she said.

This, the President said, has brought the country uninterrupted economic growth for 36 successive quarters, which she said is a historical record.

"Never before did we have 36 quarters of uninterrrupted growth. And this growth has brought down the rate of poverty, brought up the annual average new employment, supported 7 million microentrepreneurs, some whom I hope are your families, because we have microfinance services just for the PNP," she said.

She also praised the PNP for its numerous achievements including the recent conviction of the three Rizal Day bombers. She said the convictions of Muklis Hadji Yunos alias Saifulla Yunos Muklis, Abdul Fatak Paute and Mamasao Naga were an example of a good case build-up that ended in conviction.  With a report from Jorge Cariño, ABS-CBN News