Cops say no drug record vs Lucena City mayor

LUCENA CITY—The Quezon provincial police has cleared Lucena City Mayor Roderick Alcala of any link to the illegal drug trade in this capital city.

“As far as the [Quezon police office is concerned, we] don’t have any records of him on illegal drugs activities. We have nothing,” Senior Supt. Antonio Yarra, provincial police director, told the Inquirer on Monday.

Supt. Dennis de Leon, Lucena police chief, said the same of the mayor.

“There are no indications that the mayor is into illegal drug activities,” De Leon said.

Earlier, a news report, citing information from an unidentified former Quezon official, alleged that Alcala had taken over the drug distribution business of his uncle, Cerilo “Athel” Alcala, one of Lucena’s suspected big-time drug pushers.

Cerilo is a first cousin of the mayor’s late father.

The report had been shared on social media, prompting the mayor to come forward and try to clear his name.

“I’m ready to submit myself anytime to any government investigation to clear my reputation and redeem the honor of my family,” said Mayor Alcala, a member of one of the prominent political clans in Quezon.

Last month, President Duterte had warned that he would name mayors and local politicians involved in drugs amid his heightened war on the drug menace.

Yarra said all pieces of information gathered by his office about the supposed drug links of local executives, including barangay officials, are first validated.  Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon