MANILA, Philippines -- Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency began a "saturation drive" at 5:30 a.m. Friday at the Mapayapa Compound, the site of the infamous "shabu tiangge" in Pasig City, the police said.

Senior Superintendent Napoleon Villegas said about 50 agents began rounding up residents, "making them line up, and taking their pictures," supposedly without a search warrant.

But PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said there was a search warrant, and that the agents sought permission from the residents to have their pictures taken.

Villegas said the police had put up an outpost 24/7 in the area manned by officers and civilian watchmen.

But Villegas said he welcomed the move and hoped it would help in the city's fight against illegal drugs.

Carreon said the operation was conducted by the agency's metro manila regional office, and had been properly coordinated with the police and the village.