Two Lanao del Sur mayors surrender after being placed on Duterte's drugs watchlist

Two mayors from Lanao del Sur, who are on President Rodrigo Duterte's list of "narcopoliticians" or politicians involved in illegal drugs, have surrendered to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

PNP Chief Dir. Gen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa presented Maguing Mayor Mamaulan Abinal Molok and former Marantao Mayor Mohammadali Abinal before the media on Friday.

Dela Rosa said Molok and Abinal voluntarily surrendered after receiving word that they were on the watchlist.

The two mayors, Dela Rosa said, had promised to help the police in their anti-illegal drugs campaign.

They will be turned over to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) where they will be subjected to a custodial investigation.

"We will be turning over to the directors in CIDG to get their statements and whatever they will be able to extract for reference," Dela Rosa said during a press conference at Camp Crame.

Dela Rosa alleged that the mayors were the downline of the so-called "Marimar," a drug lord in Cagayan de Oro.

Their areas of distribution included Quiapo, Cavite, and Caloocan. Abinal admitted that he and Molok had been briefly involved in the illegal drugs trade more than a decade ago.

"Inaamin namin na noong 2000, 2001 at 2002 ay kasama kami sa droga," Abinal told reporters.

"Willing ako pumunta dito. Suportahan ko yung program ni President Rodrigo Duterte and PNP General Bato," he said.

Another mayor from Maguindanao will also be surrendering on Monday, Dela Rosa said.

Duterte on Friday told politicians involved in drugs that he will issue a "shoot to kill" order if they refuse to surrender.

He is expected to announce the names of the said narcopoliticians after he visits military camps in Capiz and Cebu. — Jessica Bartolome/VVP, GMA News