Northern Samar solon, gov linked to drugs ready to face NDF

TACLOBAN CITY—A spokesperson for a Northern Samar congressman who, with his governor-uncle, had been linked by communist rebels to drug trafficking said representatives of the two officials were willing to meet with rebel leaders to clear their names.

Rei Josiah Echano, speaking on behalf of Rep. Edwin Ong, said the congressman and his uncle, Northern Samar Gov. Jose Ong, had never been involved in any way in drugs, blaming a political opponent, who is close to the rebels, for what Echano said was a smear campaign against the Ongs.

Echano, however, declined to identify who the political rival was.

Reports about the Ongs’ involvement in drugs, according to Echano, are not true. “He (the congressman) and his family are legitimate businessmen since the 1950s,” said Echano.

The Ong family is engaged in steel and food businesses and have worked with some of the country’s renowned businessmen, Echano said.

Echano called up the Inquirer to react to a report that came out on Friday about a National Democratic Front (NDF) statement linking the Ongs to the drug trade in Northern Samar, one of the country’s poorest provinces.

Edwin Ong is on his first term as congressman of the province’s second district while his uncle, Jose, won a second term as governor.

The governor is out of the country and is expected to return on July 12.

The Ongs are considered to be the most influential political clan in Northern Samar.

While they dismissed the NDF statement as part of a smear campaign, the family, according to Echano, fears that it would be used to bring down the Ongs politically.

Duterte administration officials had said Mr. Duterte might soon announce the names of local officials who were involved in drugs after naming five former and active police officials.

Echano said the Ongs were willing to sit down with NDF leaders to discuss the rebel statement and disprove allegations that the congressman and governor were involved in drugs.

“Due process should be observed even though they claim to be a revolutionary government,” said Echano.

“They (rebels) should not rely on the information coming from our political opponent. They must investigate to get the truth,” he said.

Echano said the Ongs were also against drugs and had supported efforts to stop drug trafficking in the province.

One proof of this, he said, is a summit set on Aug. 17 by the provincial government to address the drug problem in the province.