Anti-drug orientation program launched in Marawi

• Source: http://www.philstar.com/nation/2016/09/10/1622356/anti-drug-orientation-program-launched-marawi
• Saturday, September 10, 2016 12:36 pm

By John Unson (philstar.com)

MARAWI CITY, Philippines – Authorities launched an orientation program meant to educate young Maranaws on the country’s drug problems, an initiative preceded by nine weeks of diplomatic maneuvers meant to convince “users” to reform for good.

Marawi City, capital of Lanao del Sur, and many of the 39 towns in the province hogged the news in recent years for having had very high prevalence of drug-related cases, including rape of women by drug addicts, murders and outbreak of rido (clan wars) among families squabbling for territories where to peddle methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu).

The provincial government of Lanao del Sur, which covers Marawi City and 39 Maranaw-dominated towns, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) jointly embarked on a youth anti-narcotics forum in Marawi City this week as a symbolic kickoff for a province-wide inter-agency education campaign against illegal drugs.

Jeannie Alonto Tamano, information officer of the provincial government of Lanao del Sur, on Saturday told The STAR that Governor Soraya Alonto-Adiong is grateful to the PNP and PDEA for helping them in their initial forum, participated by representatives of youth sectors and leaders from the Maranaw cross-section.

Tamano said their governor is keen on intensifying the education campaign in weeks to come in support of President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-narcotics thrusts.

Records obtained by The STAR from the police director of Lanao del Sur, Senior Superintendent Agustin Tello, indicated that policemen, religious leaders and local executives had visited hundreds of drug peddlers and dependents in their houses in the past nine weeks to convince them to reform.

PNP sources said the Lanao del Sur provincial government had even enlisted the help of Muslim clerics to complement the efforts to convince drug users to turn away from their vices.

Tamano said the office of the provincial governor is ready to bankroll the conduct of more anti-narcotics forum for young Maranaws in Marawi City and in nearby towns.

At least five of the 13 Moro politicians Duterte had earlier tagged as “drug lords” are from Lanao del Sur.

The president, as a punitive action, cancelled the licenses of their firearms and stripped them of their police and Army escorts, now back to their respective units in the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.