Rama meets Bato, tells him he can’t be a drug protector

Former Cebu City mayor Michael Rama (3rd from left) together with his allies reveals the negative results of his drug test during a press conference at the Rama compound. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

After several failed attempts to meet with President Rodrigo Duterte to clear his name, former Cebu City mayor Michael Rama has decided to first meet with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

In a press conference he called in the Rama ancestral house in Barangay Basak San Nicolas yesterday morning, Rama said he explained to Dela Rosa that he could not be a drug protector.

He also presented to reporters the results of the hair follicle drug test he took last December 10 which showed that he is negative of at least eight different types of illegal drugs.

“It was a one-on-one, closed-door encounter between me and the chief PNP. And part of what I said to him was how can I be a drug protector when (I have been asking the police to go after drug lords)?” he said.

Rama showed a newspaper report dated March 2015 where he was quoted in challenging the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) and the barangay officials of Duljo-Fatima to go after the heads of the drug lords operating in the barangay, including alleged top drug personality Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz.

The meeting, which was done at Camp Crame last Tuesday, lasted for about 15 to 20 minutes, he said.

Rama even posted a photo of him and dela Rosa on his Facebook page. He refused to divulge further details though on what they discussed during their meeting.

Not giving up

Rama, however, said that he was not giving up on trying to meet with the President even if the seven officials he sought help from could not set a meet for him with the President.

He said these officials included Christopher “Bong” Go, the President’s special assistant; Michael Dino, presidential assistant for the Visayas; Senator Koko Pimentel, Senate president; Senator Alan Peter Cayetano; Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, deputy House speaker; and Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, house speaker.

Meanwhile, Rama has challenged his rival, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, to also show the results of his own hair follicle drug test.

He also insisted that Osmeña should also undertake a urine drug test like him.

“I have been declared negative. I did not take this test to prove to him because I knew he knew that I am not (a drug addict). Of course, I am doing this for the Cebuanos who may, in one way or another, (have) doubts hovering. And of course to finally put this malicious rumors to rest,” Rama said.

Based on Rama’s drug test results, which was rendered by Omega Laboratories through Hi-Precision Diagnostics Center, the former mayor was found negative of eight different types of illegal drugs. These include amphetamine, methamphetamines (shabu), cocaine or metabolites, opiates, extended opiates, phencyclidine, THC metabolite and benzodiazepines.

Tom’s comment

But sought for comment, Mayor Osmeña downplayed the results of Rama’s test.

“Of course (he would be negative), nagpatupi man siya (because he had a haircut). That’s only three months. Why did he wait six months? It is gone,” Osmeña told reporters at city hall.

Osmeña has been saying before that hair follicle drug testing will be more accurate since he said he was told that traces of illegal drugs can remain in a drug user’s hair for around one year.

But he said he was told again that the traces will only be present in three months and that it will be gone once the drug user gets a haircut.

He said that when he first challenged Rama to do the drug test, the latter refused to do so.

“That does not prove anything. At least it shows that in the last three months, he has not taken drugs,” he said. Osmeña added that he has no problem in showing his own results and that he will follow up on them. As for the urine drug test, he said he already did it in city hall earlier this year.