‘I’m surprised,’ says Osmeña
THE list of so-called narco-politicians in the barangay level, which was revealed yesterday by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), surprised Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
The list contained over 200 names of barangay officials, from captains to council members, allegedly involved with or protecting the illegal drug trade, but none were from Cebu City.
“I’m surprised. But whatever. I’m not going to comment more about that,” said Osmeña.
For his part, Association of Barangay Captains (ABC)- Cebu City Chapter President Philip Zafra said PDEA,s revelation served as a proof that no barangay official in the city is linked to illegal drugs.
“It’s a clear validation that wala gyud na dinhi sa Cebu. Wala ko’y nailhan and wala koy nahibaw-an. Wala bisag usa namo ( (It’s a clear validation that no one from Cebu City [is involved in illegal drugs]. I don’t know of anyone and I don’t have any knowledge. Not a single one from us),” said Zafra.
But said the release of the list should spur barangay officials in the city to intensify their respective campaigns against illegal drugs.
“There might be another announcement about that but for now, we’re hopeful no one from Cebu City will be included. It’s a wake up call for us to avoid doing anything unlawful. Because our people in the barangay know,” Zafra said in Cebuano.
He also urged law enforcers to keep on validating President Rodrigo Duterte’s narco-list.
But for Osmeña, not all barangay officials in Cebu City are safe yet from being tagged as narco-politicians.
The mayor said he knew one barangay in Cebu City where all of its officials are allegedly into the illegal drug trade.
“I know one. All of them (are linked to the illegal drug trade). Down to the councilors,” said Osmeña, while declining to name the barangay.
PDEA’s list identified three former barangay chiefs in Cebu province to allegedly have links in the illegal drug trade, namely, Ramonette Durano (Barangay Suba, Danao City), Bibiano Cabaron (Palanas, Ronda), and Marc Ferdinand Bas (Lagtang, Talisay City). /with CNU INTERN MAEJANE DUNGOG
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