Rosebud not hoping much on Lacson probe

ILIGAN CITY — Many may consider her a heroine by now, but Mary Ong, the former secret agent who linked Sen. Panfilo Lacson to illegal drug trade, is doubtful that her fight would succeed.

Speaking before some 500 students here, Ong, who is more known by her codename Rosebud, said she is up against a very powerful man who could distort the truth in his favor.

"Hindi pantay ang laban (It’s not a fair fight)," she said during her talk at the St. Michael’s College auditorium for the school’s observance of the Drug Awareness Month. "My enemy has power and influence while all I have is the truth."

Ong noted that until now, a court order has prevented the Senate hearing from resuming. "All the witnesses are waiting for the Department of Justice and the Supreme Court for the progress of the case," she said.

Ong used to work for Lacson when he was still a police general and in charge of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force.

She accused a number of Lacson’s men of abducting suspected drug traffickers and selling illegal drugs which they had confiscated. Her accusations sparked a major controversy and a probe by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

She repeated to students her claim that she had been wanting to tell the public the involvement of the police in the trafficking of illegal drugs, but she said, "everytime the authorities ignored what I said."

"I am happy that people are now more vigilant," she said.

Ong warned her audience of the dangers of what she called "narco-politics" or the tendency of some politicians to be influenced by big-time drug lords.

She has been touring major cities in the Visayas and Mindanao issuing the same warning. — Lino de la Cruz