58 of 159 persons on blacklist surrender

DRESSING DOWN Local government officials and policemen linked by President Duterte to the illegal drug trade get a dressing down from PNP chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa in Camp Crame, Quezon City. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Iloilo judges

In Iloilo province, lawyers were surprised by the inclusion of three judges in Western Visayas.

A letter by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to the President noted that Judges Adriano Sabillo and Domingo Casiple were not handling drug cases while Judge Rene Gonzales retired on June 20.

“How can (Sabillo) be a drug protector when he presides over a family court? The most that he can do is handle annulment cases of drug lords,” a lawyer, who asked not to be named, told the Inquirer in jest. This view was shared by another lawyer.

Sabillo is presiding judge of the Iloilo RTC Branch 30, a family court which has exclusive jurisdiction over child and family cases.

Family courts handle drug cases only when those involved are minors.

Gonzales was presiding judge of the Iloilo Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 7. The MTCCs handle minor offenses.

The Inquirer tried to reach Casiple and Sabillo for comment. Casiple is on leave because his mother died, according to a court staff.

Lawyer Antonio Pesina, a former councilor of Iloilo City, said he was “bewildered” why he was among those mentioned by the President.

“I do not know how I was included. I handle drug cases and I have clients accused of drug offenses but that is part of my lawyering. Our relationship is professional and a purely client-lawyer one,” he told the Inquirer.

La Union

About 100 residents of Bauang town in La Union province, took to the streets on Monday to dramatize their support for Mayor Martin de Guzman, one of the local officials implicated by Mr. Duterte in the illegal drug trade.

They marched from the public market to the town hall, slowing down traffic flow on the busy highway connecting Bauang to other northern provinces and Baguio City.

Pangasinan

In Bolinao, Pangasinan province, Rep. Jesus Celeste on Sunday surrendered seven licensed firearms to the police after Mr. Duterte named him among those involved in illegal drugs.

Police took custody of Celeste’s shotguns, a Galil rifle, an Uzi machine pistol, an M-16 rifle and a cal. .45 handgun.

Celeste, a former Bolinao mayor, posted an open letter on social media denying his involvement in illegal drugs, saying he was a victim of black propaganda.

House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said that as far as the House leaders were concerned, Celeste had nothing to explain to the House of Representatives.

“His name was mentioned as a ‘mayor,’ which obviously was his position before he became a House member. The House has no jurisdiction over his acts or omissions allegedly committed before he became a representative. Hence, he has nothing to explain to the House,” Fariñas said.

Deputy Speaker Eric Singson said the House ethics committee could only act on Celeste’s case if there was a complaint filed against him. Reports from Marrah Erika Rabe, Maricar Cinco, Redempto Anda and Michael Jaucian, Inquirer Southern Luzon; Gabriel Cardinoza, Inquirer Northern Luzon; Connie E. Fernandez, Nestor P. Burgos Jr. and Joey A. Gabieta, Inquirer Visayas; Gil Cabacungan in Manila