Pubdate: Sat, 22 Jan 2005 Source: Manila Bulletin (The Philippines) Contact: http://www.mb.com.ph/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/906 Author: Gil M. Abarico Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Rodrigo+Duterte Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Cited: US Drug Enforcement Administration http://www.dea.gov Cited: Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency http://www.pdea.gov.ph US AID BOOSTS DAVAO CITY'S ALL-OUT DRIVE AGAINST DRUGS DAVAO CITY - In the next few days, the United States will be helping this city in its all-out war against illegal drugs. But this has nothing to do with the armed Americans, presumably combatants, who have become visible in certain parts of Davao. Local authorities said Friday that the US involvement in the war against illegal drugs here will be made through the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (USDEA) which has linked up with its regional counterpart based in this city. It was learned that USDEA is giving for free several units of high-technology drug detection equipment to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) office in Region 11. Regional PDEA chief Supt. Wilkins Villanueva said that American friends at the US drug agency are facilitating the donation. Villanueva said that he and his American friends went to school together in training for special weapons and tactics, and this explains the support. Earlier, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte announced that local anti-drug agencies here have already state-of-the-art equipment lent by US, Australian and Hong Kong anti-drug operatives. He said that local anti-drug operatives already have equipment with the capability to detect drugs and warned "shabu" syndicates operating clandestine drug factories here that they will soon be unmasked. While Villanueva did not say when the equipment would be arriving, he said it would surely bolster the government's anti-drug campaign. Meanwhile, City Hall reported that Duterte's all-out war against illegal drugs drew positive response from the citizenry as reports on pushers and users in different barangays started to pour in. The city information office said the response came after Duterte announced he is bringing his war against illegal drugs to the community level. Duterte asked barangay leaders to conduct inspection of business establishments in their area. - ---