by Nasser Tahang
ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Mar 13 (PIA) – The provincial government of Tawi-Tawi yesterday lauded the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s (PDEA) Drugs Awareness Summit 2012 conducted in partnership with the Municipal Government of Bongao at the Beachside Inn and Restaurant.
Governor Sadikul Sahali said that PDEA’s effort of continuously giving people’s awareness on illegal drugs was a laudable act of an agency tasked to curtail drug activities.
In his brief message, Sahali emphasized that since his inception as governor of the province in 2008, he had seriously formed” Task Force Bato” aimed to curve if not totally eradicate the illegal drug activities in Tawi-Tawi, and declared that drug syndicate was his enemy.
He commended Mayor Jasper Que, for his effort of inviting the PDEA team led by Director Wilkins Villanueva of the Preventive Education and Community Involvement Service and Atty. Hector Calilung of the Solicitor General’s Office to conduct the drug awareness forum to keep the people’s consciousness on the appalling effect of illegal drugs.
Sahali also proposed for the establishment of a PDEA office, rehabilitation center and a crime lab in Tawi-Tawi to be manned by PDEA personnel in order to strengthen and maintain the anti illegal drug campaign in the province.
For his part, Mayor Que said that he agreed to the proposal of the governor and pledged support to realize its establishment.
Meanwhile, the summit has undertaken two remarkable activities, the burning of the slot machines that were confiscated by the municipal government in its bid to control illegal gambling and the signing of drugs awareness covenant to keep the people responsive to illegal drug curtailment.
Both activities were spearheaded by the two local government officials in the presence of the participants from the different sectors of society here. (NT/RVC-PIA9 ZBST)
