Metro Briefs: April 4, 2019

Oreta to Duterte: We were fighting drugs before you did

Malabon Mayor Antolin “Len Len” Oreta III has disputed President Rodrigo Duterte’s claim that he was lax in combating illegal drugs in the city, pointing out that he had been combating the scourge even before the government launched its war on drugs.

In a statement, Oreta said: “We deeply appreciate the President’s concern about the drug situation here in Malabon City, but our record speaks for itself.”

According to the two-term mayor who is running under the opposition Liberal Party, “nine out of 21 barangays in Malabon City … were already declared ‘drug-cleared.’

Being the city with the highest number of anti-illegal drug programs in the whole of Metro Manila, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency can attest to the fact that Malabonians do not and will never tolerate drug abuse,” he added.

The Malabon City police station’s report said that 1,570 people were arrested for possession or selling illegal drugs from July 1, 2016 to March 24, 2019.

On Tuesday, the President was in the city to support Oreta’s rival for the mayoralty, Vice Mayor Jeannie Sandoval.

He gave Oreta a month to solve the drug problem in Malabon saying, that should the mayor fail, he would have him arrested and thrown into Manila Bay. —Nikka G. Valenzuela

The Lord’s Flock marks 33rd year with dance concert

In celebration of its 33rd founding anniversary, the Lord’s Flock will present “MVMNT,” a special fundraising dance concert featuring contemporary, hip-hop, tribal, jazz, worship and other forms of dance.

Set on Sunday, April 7, with a matinee from 2  to 4 p.m. and the main show at 7  to 9 p.m., it will be held at the Lord’s Flock Heritage Sanctuary at 5 Catanduanes St. (near West Avenue corner Del Monte Avenue) in Quezon City.

Tickets are P200 each. For more information, call 3765780 or 0999-2206770.