At least 27 local executives – 18 of them incumbents – trooped to Camp Crame yesterday to surrender and clear their names after they were tagged by President Duterte as drug protectors.

The number of those who appeared at Camp Crame prompted the Philippine National Police (PNP) to tap Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to process the local executives and the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to start an investigation on erring policemen.

“Our Criminal Investigation and Detection Group will take charge of the mayors and other local executives. The IAS, on the other hand, is tasked to do that for the active policemen,” said PNP Chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa.

Of the almost 100 cops that were linked to illegal drug activities, 31 active and a retired cop showed up at Camp Crame in Quezon City.  A Pasay cop who was included in the drug list has been disarmed.

Dela Rosa said they expect more to show up in the coming days, the reason why he decided to unburden the CIDG with the task of investigating those who would surrender and tapped the IAS for the job.

The 27 local officials include an incumbent lawmaker, three vice mayors, two ex-mayors and a councilor.  They were still undergoing investigation as of press time yesterday.

Three sitting mayors and a former mayor have surrendered before the President announced publicly the names of those involved in the illegal drugs Sunday.

And just like the four, the local executives are expected to be sent home after submitting their respective affidavits.

HARD TO PIN DOWN

Dela Rosa himself admitted that they have no power to hold those who surrendered in custody especially if they have no pending case or arrest warrant.

“To tell you frankly, we cannot pin them down because drug lords could not easily be pinned down,” said Dela Rosa.

The local executives who surrendered denied the allegation, saying they only showed up to clear their names. Some of them even questioned  their inclusion on Duterte’s drug list.

The affidavits will help the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in their  own investigation.

DEFIANCE

Of the local chief executives who were named on the drug list, three – Sultan Fahar “Pre” Salic, his brother Omar “Solitario” Ali and ex-Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama – are not making the bee-line to Camp Crame.

Salic and Ali are former mayors of Marawi City. Salic is the former husband of defeated senatorial candidate and actress Alma Moreno. The brothers wrote the President a letter expressing their dismay at their inclusion in the drug list and suspected their political critics  of feeding the President with the information.

“It is my fervent prayer that I be cleared of these accusations that caused so much embarrassment to me and my family, not only as a political leader but as a traditional leader,” the brother wrote Duterte, their partymate.

“Contrary to the report from our detractors and the intelligence community, I had incessantly fought against all forms of criminalities and vices in the Islamic City of Marawi, especially drug menace for the past nine consecutive years as City Mayor, until I ran for Provincial Governor of Lanao del Sur in the last synchronized national and local elections,” wrote Salic.

Rama, on the other hand said he will also make himself available to any investigation to clear his name but will not surrender.  “Surrender will only mean you have committed. But if you are mentioned and there is no conclusion and there is even a possibility it is a mistake, I will offer myself to visit whatever offices including the president. I am always at his beck and call,” Rama told reporters.

NO METRO MAYORS

If it is any relief, the Duterte list does not include a mayor of Metro Manila. The President Sunday said, “yung mga hindi pa na-validate – kayong mga mayors and governors – you end up not just your position maybe you lose your punch. That’s the problem.”

But DILG Sec. Mike Sueno said investigating agencies are still gathering pieces of evidence against Metro Manila officials who have alleged links to drug rings.

The President’s list, he said is not yet over.  Investigating teams from various law enforcement agencies are working full time to determine the chain that would possibly connect elected officials to the drug lords.

In a radio interview, Sueno said they will strip mayors named by Duterte of police powers.  A resolution will be out this week.

CLEANSING

Dela Rosa said the process of naming those involved, including their surrender, is a big step towards the cleansing process not only in the government but also for the country.

Even if the PNP could not pin them down, what is important is that the entire country has already identified them.

“We may not be able to pin them down but at least the Filipino people already know them. And they promised that that they will change. We hope that this will start the change that are longing for,” said dela Rosa.

“Their presence will help in letting the people, who want to kill them, know that they already surrendered. They will no longer have motive because they have already surrendered,” said dela Rosa. (With reports from Chito A. Chavez, Antonio L. Colina IV, Martin A. Sadongdong, and Ali G. Macabalang)

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Aaron B. Recuenco

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