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
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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.
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