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BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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MANILA – “Mabuhay kaya siya?” Will he live?
President Rodrigo Duterte asked the question after announcing the reassignment of Ozamiz City police director Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido to Iloilo City. The “siya” referred to the mayor of Iloilo City, Jed Patrick Mabilog.
“You asked for the assignment sa Leyte. Namatay ang mayor doon. You asked for another assignment sa Ozamiz, namatay ang mayor doon, si Parojinog. Ngayon, gusto mo sa Iloilo kasi si Mabilog has been identified as a protector. Mayor. Mabuhay kaya siya?” said Duterte during the celebration of the National Heroes Day at the Libingan ng mga Bayani yesterday.
According to Duterte, it was Espenido himself who asked for an Iloilo assignment. The President had branded Iloilo the “most shabulized” and “bedrock” of illegal drugs.
In several instances, he also tagged Mabilog an illegal drugs protector.
“Mabuhay kaya siya? Gusto ko nang tanungin kasi ako naman ang pagbibintangan. Ikaw ang nagbaril diyan tapos ako ang mapa-publish kung saan-saan,” Duterte explained.
The President announced Espenido’s new assignment a week after describing the illegal drugs situation in Iloilo as “medyo wala na.”
He described Espenido as a “dedicated man” and knows his law.
“So he should replicate his exploits in other parts of the country. He wants to be assigned in Iloilo, I will assign him there,” said the chief executive.
Just this July 30, Ozamiz City’s Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and 14 others were killed in a shootout led by Espenido who was serving search warrants at Parojinog’s properties in barangays Baybay San Roque and Baybay Santa Cruz.
November last year, Espenido was also the police chief of Albuera, Leyte when its mayor, Rolando Espinosa Sr., was killed in a shootout as police were attempting to serve a search warrant.
Both Parojinog and Espinosa were linked by Duterte to illegal drugs.
During a private dinner at Malago Clubhouse, Malacañang Park late night on Aug. 21, Duterte told reporters, “Ang mga mayors d’yan pati barangay captains…‘Di ba sinabi ko sa inyo Iloilo was the hotbed (of illegal drugs)? Ngayon medyo wala na, wala na (Now, it’s kind of waning).”
According to the President, Melvin Odicta Sr. had been killed. He described Odicta as a “big fish” and source of shabu proliferating in areas west of Cebu.
Espenido said his reassignment to Iloilo City is “God’s will.”
In an interview on national television minutes after he was given a new assignment, Espenido sent his “regards” to Mabilog.
“Ang sabi ko nga, kung saan may gusto ang Presidente natin, doon tayo kasi iniisip ko ‘yan talaga may pahintulot ng Panginoon,” he said.
Asked if Mabilog should be scared for his life, Espenido said, “I believe ang buhay natin ang may ari ang Panginoon.”
In a statement, Mabilog said he welcomed Espenido’s Iloilo assignment and looked forward to working with him get rid of illegal drugs.
“It’s better that Espenido himself will see the real situation in Iloilo City,” said Mabilog in a previous interview.
The mayor vehemently denied being involved in illegal drugs either as protector, user or pusher.
He also insisted that there had been no letup in the city government’s campaign against illegal drugs.
Invoking his “clear conscience”, Mabilog said he was confident nothing bad wound happen to him.
In a recent interview on national television on his possible Iloilo assignment, Espenido bared his first moves.
“Kausapin ko muna ng masinsinan…Makikita ko naman kung totoo o hindi,” he said.
Mabilog, on the other hand, told Panay News, “Mas magamag-an akon buot nga maubos diri ang mga durogista kon si Major Espenido ang kinahanglan makahimo sina.”
The mayor is leaving 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 the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 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./PN
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