MALUNGON, Sarangani Province – Leaders of different comprising barangays here have declared their respective districts free of illicit drugs in the midst of the first ever held anti - drugs summit in the province, Friday.

Graced by top regional, provincial, local government and various nat’l line agencies’ officials, the convergence that was likewise attended by tribal leaders, different sectoral groups and drug user-surrenderers was said to be as the largest ever movement to be launched following the local government’s initiation of a massive crusade against the proliferation and use of illegal drugs in the municipality.

Officials stated the Mayor Tessa Constantino and Task Force DUTERTE-initiated summit has been pulled in for concerned agencies to evaluate its (declaration) validity, which if proven, will eventually cause the affirmation of the entire municipality as – drug free.

“Being a former PDEA-12 regional lawyer before entering into politics, it has been of public knowledge that my advocacy against drugs had been my usual battle cry, even in the past election campaign period. So alam ko na everybody knows how I hate drugs, just like how our beloved President Rodrigo Duterte extremely dislikes it,” said Constantino, as she urged the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to get a deeper probe that would measure the real status on the presence and usage of drugs in the locality.

Constantino also gave weight and recognition to a self confessed municipal councilor who braves himself to accept on stage about his then involvement with drugs, and on how its adverse effects have almost turned him down and his present career.

“It was precisely at first a try, that I haven’t noticed I had been already nearly hooked in the latter years,” said Councilor Mark Henson Villarial, a scion to the proprietor of Villareal Garden Resort that is now being utilized for free by the local government as the setting place of the 1st – ever Municipal Outpatient Reformatory and Treatment Center for Drug Dependents in Region 12.

“His (Villareal) sincerity and candor to reform really counts more than the donation, as it gives the courage for other users to come out in the open to change their acrid ways of life,” said Mayor Constantino in an interview with the press.

Gil Castro, the PDEA director for Central Mindanao Region, said basing into what he experienced along the lady mayor and her father’s (former Mayor turned-Task Force Duterte chairman Bong Constantino) dedication in the anti-drug campaign, the “PDEA is committing its support for the eventual declaration of Malungon as a drug free municipality in Sarangani.”

Even so, Castro said the declaration will still be properly assessed by an oversight committee who will decide, and if ever, endorse their finding in the national level to advance the decision of declaring the entire place as a drug free zone.

Earlier, Castro has already endorsed a report in favor of Malungon, after Kiblawan town officials in the nearby province of Davao Del Sur, has admitted that the main source of marijuana weeds are from their area, particularly in sitio Bulol Salo, and not in Malungon.

Meanwhile an observer who requested not to be identified, said the Constaninos request for PDEA to conduct a deeper probe to weight up the declaration of the barangay captains is bonded with the inscription, “para iwas kuryente,” and not alike other places who have plummeted for a half-baked result just to accomplish their dreams to be untimely declared as a drug free town.”

For the Task Force chairman Contantino, he said the local government is very much open for anti-drugs operatives to conduct a no to nonsense drive in the locality, in parliamentary procedure for all remaining suspected drug users and drug marketers to be completely put into proper custody.

Those who also attended to contribute anti-drugs messages were: Vice Gov. Elmer De Peralta, DILG provincial dir Flor G Limpin, Sarangani IPMR Fred P. Basino, Army 1002nd Brigade commander Tyne Banas, SP members, representatives and more. (With reports from Sen Cuayson, Apple Gella and Von Dela Cuesta - MALUNGON INFORMATION OFFICE)