EDITORIAL - Loot needs to satisfactorily explain his side to the public

Former Daanbantayan municipal mayor Vicente Loot’s name has surfaced again following accusations from President Rodrigo Duterte that the former police general returned to his illegal drug business in Central Visayas.

Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas, director of the Police Regional Office-7, said Duterte received information about Loot’s alleged return to the illegal drug trade and that the president suspects Loot is distributing drugs in the region.

Sinas said Duterte fears the return of illegal drugs in Central Visayas and suspects that Loot is responsible since he is the only big name left, although the regional police are looking into the president’s new allegations against the former mayor.

To recall, Duterte, upon his assumption to the presidency, named Loot and four other former police generals as having long been involved in drugs. Vehemently denying the allegations, Loot, former Quezon City Police District chief Edgardo Tinio, former National Capital Region Police Office chief Joel Pagdilao, ex-Western Visayas police chief Bernardo Diaz, and Police Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr. did not come out publicly to air their side.

Loot remained mum on Duterte’s latest accusation. Of course, he is expected to keep silent. Perhaps, the former mayor does not want to engage the allegations head-on since they come from the president himself, fearing any immediate denial will only fuel the fire.

However, in the wake of their continued silence and hiding as they fear for their lives, Loot and the other so-called “narco-generals” cannot blame the public if it continues to believe Duterte and the authorities regarding the allegations against them.

Loot has been ambushed before and the public understands the grave danger he is facing if he chooses to come out and publicly deny the allegations against him. However, on the other hand, he also needs to at least satisfactorily explain his side to the public.