MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency confirmed on Thursday the involvement of national and local politicians in the illegal drug trade, and said it expected "narcopolitics" to worsen in the months towards the 2010 polls.

PDEA Director General Dionisio Santiago said he and his people had long been informed about politicians who used links to drug syndicates in aiding their election campaigns.

"I've been receiving reports from politicians themselves, those who are not into drugs... I've been telling [President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo] a long time ago that there's ‘narcopolitics’ all over the country. With the 2010 elections nearing, she's worried that drug money might come into play," Santiago told the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines in a forum.

He said Arroyo, who had recently declared herself the anti-drug "czar," had directed the PDEA to go after government officials, whether from the administration or the opposition, who were part of the estimated P300-billion drug business.

"Some used to be just protectors, but recently we found out they are already [financiers]," added Major Ferdinand Marcelino, head of the PDEA's special enforcement service.

But when Santiago was prodded to elaborate on the politicians' involvement, he said: "It's so big that if you know, you will not work anymore."

The PDEA admitted difficulty in proving that politicians were actually involved in drug trafficking.

Santiago said this was because officials from "all levels" covered up their tracks by running legitimate businesses and letting other people do the dirty work.