QUEZON City Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said on Feb. 4, 2019 that some mayors in Panay and Negros are still in the illegal drug list of the Duterte administration.
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Guardian, Año said they are in the process of building up the cases against these mayors.
But he declined to identify the local chief executives.
“Meron pa tayong mga mayors dyan sa Region 6 sa drug list at yun ang gusto nating ilabas pero yung pwede lng mag bigay ng clearance yung si Presidente (Duterte), Año said.
He added that the concerned mayors know that they are in the list.
“Nag bi-build up lng tayo ng kaso sa mga yan. Sooner, aarestuhin natin ang mga yan kasi kapag ikaw ay talagang involved sa illegal drugs o kaya ay supporter or coddler pananagutan mo yan sa bayan, panagutan mo yan,” Año added.
Some of the Panay mayors President Duterte tagged in the illegal drug trade are Jed Mabilog of Iloilo City, Alex Centena of Calinog, Siegfredo Betita of Carles, Mariano Malones of Maasin, all in Iloilo; and Julius Ronald Pacificador Jr. of Hamtic, Antique.
MAY POLLS
As to the May 2019 elections, Año said gusto natin maging peaceful at orderly ang elections para naman maiwasan ang karahasan at mga biktima nitong political violence.
He added that a nationwide revamp of police officers was implemented by the PNP to ensure that provincial and city directors and police station chiefs do not favour a political group.
So that yung mga nakatayong provincial directors city directors at mga chiefs of police ng mga municipalities pareho silang di kilala ng mga naglalabang mga politiko. With this they can perform their duties and responsibilities, he added.
“Dapat magagawa nila ng husto at tama ang kanilang tungkulin sa election at ako rin nanawagan sa mga political candidates na lumaban kayo ng patas walang gagamit ng violence, walang gagamit ng goons, walang gagamit ng guns.”
Año said his instruction to the PNP is to implement the law without fear without favor kahit sino ka pa basta nag-violate ka, talagang huhulihin ka at hindi ka sasantohin so ayusin natin. Gawin nating tahimik at maayos ang election na ito para sa interes ng ating kababayan.
He said that the nationwide revamp has already started.
Año said police officers who have served in their current posts for six months or more are affected by the revamp.
He said this will cover the entire election period, after which the newly elected governors and mayors will be given the chance to choose their provincial directors and chiefs of police.