CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and several other city officials are supporting the move to name the barangay officials allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade to guide voters in the coming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
Osmeña said the public has the right to know the names of drug protectors among their barangay officials.
“Yes, why not?...So the people will know, the people can judge and these people can explain, anyway. Just like me, they say I am a protector of drug lord or whatever, fine,” Osmeña said.
Outgoing Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre named Osmeña as drug protector. Aguirre claimed to have in possession of an affidavit of Reynaldo “Jumbo” Diaz, cousin of slain drug lord Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz, allegedly implicating the mayor in the illegal drug business. Osmeña denied protecting Diaz.
The Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency cleared Osmeña. PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa, during his visit to Cebu City the other day, said the police are ready to divulge the names of barangay officials involved in illegal drugs.
Garry Lao, head of the City Office for Substance Abuse and Prevention, also supports the move. He said the move is not new since President Rodrigo Duterte had been making public the names of public officials allegedly involved in illegal drugs.
“Gipanganlan naman gani ang mayor, bise mayor and PNP officials nga allegedly involved ana, puslan gisugdan, eh di tiwason,” Lao said.
According to Lao, the PNP should reveal the names of these barangay officials.
In Cebu City, Lao said no barangay official was tested positive in the series of drug tests that COSAP had conducted.
Lao said the Commission on Elections also has the options to require candidates in the coming barangay and SK elections to under a drug test.
Osmeña also sees no problem requiring candidates to undergo drug test. Although, he admitted that not all drug protectors are using drugs.
“That’s fine also to me, but to me, you can be a drug lord without taking drugs, it’s all about money,” he said.
Opposition Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia said he supports naming suspected drug protectors in the barangay as long as the lists are verified.
“Pero just to let the people know, I don’t think that is the problem. In fact, mas maayo gani kay kanang mga suspected nga involve in drugs at least ma-aware ang tawo, if angay ba ni siya butaran or dili, angay molingkod or dili,” Garcia said.
For Councilor Joel Garganera, naming the barangay officials is not enough. He said the police should gather enough evidence against these people and file charges against them.
Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III does not agree to the idea. He said there is no need to name the officials since the people in the barangay are aware who among their officials are involved.
“Dili na necessary nga hinganlan, anyway ang kanang mga molupyo sa barangay kaila sa ilang mga kandidato sa ilang mga officials so no need," Davide said. —/FPL (FREEMAN)