Duterte tells Mabilog to cut connections to drug trade

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday asked Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog to end his connections to the drug trade.

He said Mabilog had long been on his list of narco politicians.

Duterte said the Iloilo City mayor was even on the updated versions of the list.

“Well, I’ll tell you again, Mayor. Dinadawit ka. For the longest time, updated list, nandiyan ka. Eh sa totoo lang, ngayon pang wala na nangyari, baka gusto mo nang tapusin ang connection mo,” Duterte said.

Duterte on Monday announced that Ozamiz City police Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido would be assigned to Iloilo City.

Espenido was the police chief when Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa was arrested in connection with the drug trade in October 2016.

Espinosa would later be killed while in detention in November.

Espenido was also the city chief of police when Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog was killed in a raid on the Parojinog compound in August, along wih 15 other members of his family and security personnel.

Duterte reiterated his call to government officials to stop coddling and protecting drug lords.

“Do not protect, do not call the police, ganito, ganito. Do not just mess with the… kasi ‘pagka nandiyan ka, drug lord ka rin eh. Mapipilitan ako. Bakit ka nag-proprotekta? Why the mayors, kayong mga judges, kayong mga prosecutors? Alam ko [na-]man hindi lahat,” Duterte said.

“Karamihan, wala. ‘Yung mag-corrupt. Kaya [kung] hindi kayo kontento sa sweldo ninyo, umalis kayo. Mag-drug lord na lang kayo. Bilyon ‘yan. Pero ang kapalit niyan, kamatayan mo. Nagbobolahan pa tayo dito,” he added.

“Kayong mga mayaman na, tama na. Tama na, kasi ‘yung next generation ng Pilipino, ilalagay niyo sa alanganin. Hindi ako papayag na ganoon,” Duterte said.

The statement came after Mabilog said he would work with Espenido in fighting the drug trade in his city.

Duterte once tagged Iloilo as the “most shabulized” province in the country. —NB/KVD, GMA News