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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Monday, October 23, 2017
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ILOILO City – Former Interior secretary Mar Roxas described as a “poor and laughable attempt at fake news” the allegation linking him to illegal drugs.
Drug suspect Ricky Serenio, the self-confessed bag man of the Negros Occidental-based Beria drug group, claimed Roxas, Sen. Franklin Drilon and Iloilo City’s Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog were illegal drug protectors and linked them to slain drug lord Melvin Odicta Sr.
Roxas said the timing of Serenio’s allegation was suspect.
“I heard President Duterte is visiting Negros this weekend. This is an attempt by mga local KSP (kulang sa pansin) to get his attention and curry favor with him,” said Roxas in a statement released yesterday.
Duterte was in Bacolod City yesterday. He graced the MassKara Festival. Serenio fired his allegations against Roxas, Drilon and Mabilog a few days before the presidential visit.
“I don’t know nor have I any dealings with Serenio nor Odicta; as in zero,” said Roxas.
Odicta was Melvin Odicta Sr., a suspected Iloilo City drug lord shot to death by unidentified gunmen in August last year.
“I have been and am anti-illegal drugs and the record of arrests, confiscations and buy-bust operations by the Philippine National Police during my time at the Department of Interior and Local Government will show this,” said Roxas.
The defeated presidential candidate appeared unfazed by the allegation.
“Ang mga taga-Western Visayas kilala ako kag ang akon pagkatao, ang akon pamatasan kag ang akon pamilya. Sa sulod sang madamo nga tinuig ko sa serbisyo publiko, malimpyo ang ngalan ko kag waay gid nabahiran ang akon ngalan sa droga o sa corruption,” stressed Roxas.
He expressed confidence that the Ilonggos could see through lies.
“Waay ako sang kasimanwa nga magapati sina nga gin himo-himo nga istorya. Klaro nga wala na gid sila maakusar sa akon gani pilit sila naga imbento isyu,” he added.
Drilon could not be reached for comment as of this writing. His staff said he was out of the county. Mabilog, on the other hand, is currently on sick leave./PN
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