Drilon gets death threats via text

ILOILO CITY — Police tightened security during the National Day of Prayer and Fasting here Saturday after Senate President Franklin Drilon received death threats via his cellphone.

Uniformed and plainclothes policemen were deployed around the Iloilo Rotary Amphitheater, where Drilon, an Ilonggo, spoke before 1,500 people.

Drilon received the death threats through text when he arrived at 3 p.m. Saturday for the National Day of Prayer and Fasting, which was also attended by other top political figures.

Drilon said he wants to put a stop to illegal activities at the Iloilo waterfront, where rampant dealing in illegal drugs has been going on.

"There has been a problem ever since," he said. "I received reports that there are extortion activities at the (waterfront). The businessmen are avoiding the port of Iloilo because of these extortion activities."

Rampant extortion has forced the Iloilo Integrated Arrastre Services Corp. (ILIASCO) not to renew its contract at the Iloilo River Wharf.

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) here will take over the cargo-handling operations after ILIASCO’s contract ends next month.

Lawyer Gerson Espinosa, ILIASCO’s acting president, executive vice president and chief operating officer, said the Iloilo River Wharf would not be included when his company renews its contract with the PPA.

ILIASCO would only like to handle Port San Pedro and the Iloilo Commercial Port, he said.

Espinosa said a syndicate has been overcharging fees for cargo handling operations at the Iloilo River Wharf, especially the waterfront.

"We have their names, their pictures and we know their operations. However, we don’t have any police power to arrest these people," he said.

"We know that we will lose more or less 50 percent of our income from giving up (the Iloilo River Wharf), but we cannot handle that area anymore," he added.

Vessels without regular schedules of arrival and departure use the Iloilo River Wharf.

Inter-island passenger ships use Port San Pedro, while the Iloilo Commercial Port is used by international ships and some inter-island vessels.

ILIASCO has been operating in Iloilo City ports since 1975 and its contract with the PPA expired in December 2000. However, the PPA granted the company a two-year holdover agreement until next month. — Leo Solinap