Filipinos do not have a particularly high opinion of their policemen, who are widely believed to be corrupt and abusive and have been linked to bank robberies, kidnappings and petty extortion.

According to Mrs Arroyo, 'the symptoms of corruption and profligacy are seen mostly outside of the office than in it - in the lifestyle and personal conduct of [government] officials and employees'.

The campaign was kicked off two nights ago in a 'raid' by a heavily armed special team led by no less than the national police chief, Director General Hermogenes Ebdane. The team, accompanied by journalists, swooped down on Classmate KTV and Mystique, another club reportedly patronised by policemen and military officers.

Apparently, the law-enforcing clients had been tipped off, because all the raiders found were bottles of expensive liquor scrawled with intriguing names such as 'Colonel Sosa', 'Captain Popoy' and 'Sergeant Divina'.

General Ebdane said officers should not hang around in nightspots because 'it smacks of corruption'.

Senior police have been ordered to inspect all clubs, discos and beer houses to keep their men out of these establishments.

Presidential Anti-Graft Commission chairman Dario Rama said his office was considering asking city mayors 'to post notices outside [nightclubs] prohibiting [the entry of] all government employees and all public servants'.

Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo said her office would file cases of grave misconduct against officials who kept mistresses.

Interestingly, the morality crusade comes amid a senate probe into the alleged corrupt dealings of the president's husband.