ILOILO City – As the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) draw near, the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) is urging voters not to support or succumb to the promises of candidates involved in illegal drugs.
The barangay is a small social unit so community members almost certainly know which candidates are linked to illegal drugs, according to ICPO director Colonel Joeresty Coronica.
“Ang mga pumoluyo nakahibalo kon sin-o ang nagahampang sa illegal drugs, kag sila dapat ang maglantaw, indi sila magpadala sa pamahog,” Coronica said during yesterday’s press conference.
The ICPO director added: “So, ang gina-request lang namon is for the candidates to cooperate, kag tungod police kami, we expect that drug personalities will also come into play. And so for the voters, do not vote or do not support ining mga durogista.”
There are 332,903 registered voters in Iloilo City for the Oct. 30 barangay and SK elections, data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) showed.
Meanwhile, candidates were warned not to accept “drug money”.
Coronica explained that the ICPO or any member of the Philippine National Police depends on the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) to collect information about drug personalities in communities.
“Sa mga kandidato, indi sila magbaton sang kontribusyon sa mga durogista kay ti kon magbaton sila ano gina-expect nila? Ang barangay officials mga miembro sang BADAC, kon sila ma-impluwensyahan sang durogista, ano nga information ang ma-expect mo nga makuha sa barangay?” Coronica emphasized.
In his seven months as the city’s top cop, the ICPO has made efforts to make the campaign against illegal drugs more active and he wishes to sustain this.
“Kon matabu gani ina nga nagasuporta kamo sa kandidato nga durogista basi mabalik naman kita sa dark part of history sang Iloilo City,” Coronica added.
He also noted that intense emotions and tight competition are expected since most candidates are family, relatives, friends, or acquaintances; thus, they will not rest on their laurels and allow any hostilities, activities, or unlawful acts without consequence.
So far, the ICPO director said they have not monitored any incident or intense political rivalry between the different parties in the city.
As part of its intelligence monitoring, the ICPO validates the background of the 6,760 barangay and SK candidates to determine their possible involvement in illegal drugs.
Initial Comelec data showed that of the 6,760 candidates who filed their certificates of candidacy in Iloilo City, 396 are running for barangay captain; 3,599 for barangay kagawad; 471 for SK chairperson; and 2,294 for SK kagawad.
Coronica further said he received reports that some incumbent barangay officials in the city are linked to illegal drugs, although the validation process is still ongoing.
Also present during yesterday’s press conference at the office of the Philippine Information Agency-Iloilo were Atty. Reinier Layson, Iloilo provincial election supervisor IV and concurrent election officer of Comelec-Iloilo City; Iloilo Police Provincial Office director Colonel Ronaldo Palomo; and Department of Interior and Local Government-Iloilo Cluster II head Raymundo Palanog./PN
