Former Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama | CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — “God is good.”
Former Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who is running for vice mayor in the coming May 13 midterm elections, said this after learning that his name was not included in the latest list of narco politicians that President Rodrigo Duterte released last March 14.
Rama said, in a phone interview with Cebu Daily News Digital on Friday, March 15, that the truth had set him free and the pronouncement of the President would prove that he was not what the opposition call, ‘Team Suyop.’
“I have never been into drugs. I am not an addict. I will never engage into what they constitute as a drug protector,” said a relieved Rama, whose name was included in the first list that Duterte released to the public in August 2016.
Read more: Rama on Duterte’s endorsement: President’s actions speak louder than words
An allegation that Rama had vehemently denied and in previous interviews, said that he believed that the President was fed with the wrong information, which was the reason why he was part of the first narcolist.
The latest list, which included Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot and San Fernando Vice Mayor Fralz Sabalones, contained names of 46 officials — 35 mayors, seven vice mayors, a provincial board member and 3 congressmen.
Loot and Sabalones were also part of the first narcolist in 2016.
Rama said that he went through the ‘proper’ process of clearing his name despite the judgment of many people.
Read more: Rama visits PRO-7, seeks to clear name from drug allegations
“I went to PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) twice to undergo drug tests,” Rama told Cebu Daily News Digital.
He also said that he was grateful for the supporters, who firmly believed in him and supported him despite the controversy.
He also said that he was willing to forgive the opposition, who nicknamed their party “Team Suyop” because of his alleged involvement to illegal drugs.
“We cannot stop their mindset, but let’s see now how they will react. I am a forgiving person,” said Rama.
Meanwhile, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) had already filed cases of administrative charges of grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, conduct unbecoming of a public officer, and gross neglect of duty to the 46 ‘narco pols’ today, March 15, including Loot and Sabalones. /dbs