Palace praises conviction of Sinaloa drug gang member

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Wednesday welcomed the conviction of a suspected member of the Mexican Sinaloa drug syndicate for selling P12-million worth of cocaine.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo tagged as “a positive development” the conviction of Horacio Hernandez Herrera by the Makati Regional Trial Court.

“This Administration believes that any circumstance that diminishes the tentacles of the illegal drug industry is helpful to our country’s war against prohibited narcotics,” Panelo said in a statement.

He said that President Rodrigo Duterte had “repeatedly mentioned that the Sinaloa drug cartel has penetrated the Philippine market much to the disbelief, skepticism and heckling of the political opposition and critics of the drug war.”

“The conviction of Mr. Herrera therefore serves as a repudiation of the sentiments of these detractors,” he said. “The same is likewise a significant blow against the said drug cartel, and much as we consider this as a victory, it also gives a stern warning against international drug syndicates that our Government is resolute in destroying whoever attempts to poison our nation through the importation of illicit drugs.”

He assured the public that the government would “never allow our country to be flooded with prohibited drugs by the merchants of death and destruction.”

“The President and this Administration will not rest until the last drug apparatus is destroyed and the last drug pusher is sent to jail,” he said. /atm