Ex-Guimaras solon denies link to drug trade

Former Guimaras Rep. Joaquin Carlos Rahman Nava on Monday denied being involved in the drug trade, after he was tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte on his list of “narcopoliticians.”

In a statement, Nava lamented the lack of due process when Duterte named him as being involved in the drug trade, adding that the allegation against him has no basis.

“I vehemently deny the baseless and unfounded declaration coming, no less, from the President of the Republic dragging me to illegal drugs without the necessary justification on how in the world my name was implicated to such illegality. I was hastily condemned and summarily executed in the bar of public opinion even before I was given the opportunity to be heard. This is an anathema to our democratic processes,” Nava said.

Nava also decried the public humiliation he had been subjected to after he was named on Duterte’s list.

“While I welcome with full sincerity any investigation or case that may be launched against me, the fact remains that this evidently preposterous public humiliation had already caused damage to my reputation and dignity as a person,” he said.

Nava said the allegation against him may be linked to the discovery of a firearm registered in his name at the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) in December 2014.

The police in 2014 recovered a Walther PPK (Serial No. 2004695) under Nava’s name in the detention quarters of Peter Co at the NBP. Duterte named Co as a “top tier” drug lord in Luzon.

READ: Rody names 3 Triad drug lords, pins Garbo 

“In so far as the firearm I allegedly owned that was recovered at the National Bilibid Prison sometime in December 2014, which I considered to be the most possible link of this drug issue against me, I have fully and properly explained the incident with the authorities,” Nava said.

Nava reiterated his defense that he had left the gun at the gun store Nashe at Makati Cinema Square before it was recovered in Co’s quarters.

READ: Lawmaker says gun was left at store

“I have in fact submitted the necessary documents and [pieces of evidence] to the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office, Camp Crame. This was corroborated by the gunstore, NASHE Enterprises located at Makati Cinema Square to which I turned over the firearm on July 17, 2013 for possible replacement and prior to its recovery at the New Bilibid Prison,” Nava said.

Nava’s wife Ma. Lucille Nava succeeded him in the Guimaras congressional seat. RAM/rga

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