MANILA, Philippines—Taguig City Mayor Freddie Tiñga on Monday branded as “malicious” a councilor’s statement that the drug trade in the city was flourishing as he promised that more drug dealers would be arrested in the next days.

Tiñga, who is in Malaysia, said through the city public information officer that Councilor Arvin Alit’s statement was obviously meant to fuel his political ambitions.

“This is early politicking. It is sad that certain people would want to tarnish Taguig’s image for their self-interest,” Ana Santos, head of Taguig’s public information office, told the
Inquirer.

Alit said the other day that the arrest of Joel Tiñga, who claimed to be related to the mayor, was proof of the city government’s failure to stop the growing drug menace in Taguig, where illegal drugs are reportedly peddled even in sari-sari stores.

“It has been in the news that Taguig is a drug hot spot. But the NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) and PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) say otherwise,” Santos said.

In a recent letter to Mayor Tiñga, NCRPO director Chief Supt. Roberto Rosales said the Taguig police have been actively campaigning against illegal drugs, conducting 138 antidrug operations since January 2008 and filing 188 cases against drug pushers and users.

Rosales’ letter was in response to a request made by the city administration office for a clarification on reports that Taguig was a drug “hot spot.”

“Taguig is not a ‘hot spot’ in illegal drugs. We are aware of the extent of the drug problem in the whole of Metro Manila, and together with the local government units, PDEA and other government agencies, we will intensify our campaign against the drug trade,” Rosales said in his letter dated June 23.

Santos, meanwhile, said that all of the six Tiñgas whom Alit had claimed were related to the mayor, were detained in different jails after being arrested for illegal drugs. She added that none of them was receiving special treatment.