BULUAN, Maguindanao – Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu called on village officials identified in the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) list to refrain from seeking public office.
“The reason is simple, the list had been verified by at least four government agencies before these were made public by the Department of Interior and Local Government,” Mangudadatu said in an interview Wednesday.
“Second, this is the campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte and I am supporting it and third, the President does not want drug personalities in governance, so they must not run anymore,” he said.
Mangudadatu said eight village chairpersons and village councilman were included in the list made public by the Department of Interior and Local Government and PDEA on Monday.
“Unfortunate for them their names are on the list, from day one the President has warned public officials to do away with illegal drugs,” Mangudadatu added.
“My policy is always alongside with President Duterte,” he said, adding that whatever applies to the villages officials will also apply to governors, mayors and whoever is in government service.
In Maguindanao, he said, the campaign focus of the provincial government is the eradication of illegal drugs and drug personalities, anti-terrorism or illegal drugs linked to terrorism.
“I advise them to present themselves to PDEA and clear their names, prove they were never involved in illegal drugs as user, pusher or protector,” Mangudadatu said.
“They must explain why they failed to organize barangay anti-drug advisory councils as mandated by the DILG,” he said.
The provincial executive said that he has been constantly reminding all elected local officials that the government is not joking when it said it will eradicate illegal drugs.
“These officials in the list have been repeatedly told to stop their involvement in illegal drugs. Four government agencies have worked out on the list so it must have been repeatedly validated and with strong evidence,” he said. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
