Pubdate: Sun, 11 Sep 2005 Source: Manila Times (Philippines) Copyright: 2005, The Manila Times Contact: http://www.manilatimes.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/921 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines ALL SET FOR ASIAN ANTIDRUG SUMMIT PUERTO PRINCESA CITY: Some 400 international antidrugs specialists and chief executives of Asian cities renew their campaign against drug abuse when the 2nd Asian Cities Against Drugs summit opens here Monday. The four-day summit, organized under the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Program, will focus on the theme, "Asian Cities Against Drugs from Conceptualization to Implementation." As of yesterday, the following countries had confirmed attendance: Malaysia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, India, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Nepal, Maldives and the United States. Douglas Hagedorn, chief of the city's Drug Enforcement Action Division, or Task Force DEAD, and elder brother of Mayor Edward Hagedorn, said the city was chosen as the venue of the conference after successfully eradicating the drug menace in all of the city's 66 barangays in less than two years. "Puerto Princesa City holds the distinction of being one of the country's local governments that have been declared drug-syndicate-free, as its unrelenting campaign against drug dealers and pushers virtually rid the city of this major international problem in record time," Hagedorn said. Task Force DEAD, organized in January 2003, seized more than P2-million worth of shabu in less than a year, he said. It also arrested and prosecuted 160 drug pushers now serving stiff prison terms. Hagedorn said the campaign will be one of the topics for presentation at the summit. "This is our contribution to the summit aside from hosting it. We will share our experiences in eradicating drug abuse in our city with our Asian counterparts to underscore and prove that the most potent force in fighting drug abuse is strong, uncompromising political will of government and police officials and the steadfast, consistent support and cooperation of the citizenry," he said. Mayor Hagedorn explained that the successful experience of the city in eradicating drug abuse reaffirms the basic philosophy and strategy of the city government in its war against environmental destruction and degradation, criminality and lawlessness and illegal gambling. "Political will and the selfless and unstinting support and cooperation of the citizenry were our sure-fire formula for success in making Puerto Princesa one of the country's drug-syndicate-free cities, the first Hall of Fame awardee in the annual search for the "cleanest and greenest" cities, a consistent awardee in the annual search for the best police station, a jueteng-free city and a major ecotourism and sports capital of the republic," Hagedorn said. - ---