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[av_heading heading=’ JED: NOTHING TO FEAR Mabilog plays down death of drug-linked Ozamiz mayor ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ and GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Tuesday, august 1, 2017
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ILOILO City – Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog is putting up a brave face following the death of Ozamiz City’s Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. who, like him, was linked to illegal drugs by President Rodrigo Duterte.
There is nothing to fear, according to Mabilog, because he supports the President’s campaign against criminality “and most especially against illegal drugs.”
Parojinog, wife Susan and 12 others were killed in a raid jointly conducted by the Region 10 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Misamis Occidental Police Provincial Office and Ozamiz City Police Station around 2:30 a.m. on July 30.
Invoking his “clear conscience”, Mabilog said, “I have performed my role as mayor of this city in the fight against illegal drugs. I poured financial and logistical support to the lead agencies – the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the police.”
In several speeches, Duterte claimed Mabilog was a drug protector and relative of slain suspected drug lord Melvin “Boyet” Odicta Sr. The city mayor denied this.
Mabilog said there has been no letup in the city government’s campaign against illegal drugs.
“I believe the national government is looking at the performance of the local governments units of local chief executives who were linked to illegal drugs…if there were interventions introduced to stop drug trafficking,” said Mabilog.
In Metro Manila, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Dela Rosa said more Parojinog-like police operations will be conducted. Sunday’s Ozamiz raid, he said, should compel narco-politicians to surrender.
Mabilog said he leaves it up to the President to assess if the city government is truly supportive of the campaign.
“Here in Iloilo City, we have not been negligent. Our campaign against drug trafficking is nonstop. For one year, todo-todo ang kampanya naton bangod sa aton pagsuporta, pagsabat sa panawagan sang Presidente,” said Mabilog.
Aside from supporting PDEA and the police logistically, the mayor said, the city government also established drug rehabilitation centers and designed livelihood and skills training programs for drug surrenderers.
Meanwhile, Mayor Mariano Malones of Maasin, Iloilo said he was also not worried. Like Mabilog and Parojinog, he, too, was tagged by the President as a drug coddler.
“Ako ya wala gid nahadlok because I am not guilty. As long as indi ka guilty, maisog ka mag-atubang sang kamatayon,” said Malones whose municipality was recently declared drug-cleared by PDEA Region 6.
Malones also believed the President was given the wrong information about him last year.
“Ang iya to ginkwaan sang balasehan bunga sang pulitika sang 2016 election,” he said.
“Most shabu-lized” was how President Duterte described Iloilo in August last year as he linked Mabilog, Malones and two other Iloilo mayors to drug trafficking.
The two other mayors were Alex Centena of Calinog town and Siegfredo Betita of Carles. Like Mabilog and Malones, they also denied having anything to do with illegal drugs.
Centena declined to comment on the fate of Parojinog while Betita could not be reached.
“Iloilo grabe talaga,” said Duterte as he ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to remove from these mayors the power to supervise their police units.
The President also ordered the cancellation of all firearms licensed to the mayors.
Mabilog urged Ilonggos to help change the negative impression on Iloilo City. The national government may not be getting the correct information about the illegal drugs situation in Iloilo, he said./PN
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