Sueño warns drug protectors: Whoever you are, we will pursue you

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael “Mike” Sueno. KING RODRIGUEZ/PPD

Whoever you may be, we will pursue you.

Interior Secretary Ismael “Mike” Sueño warned all police and local officials who are protecting drug syndicates in their areas that President Rodrigo Duterte will go after them regardless of their affiliation.

“Panawagan ko kung sino ka man—local official ka man, police or private citizen—na involved sa droga, itong administration ni President Duterte hindi takot sa inyo (I call on anyone, whoever you are—whether a local official, police or private citizen—involved in illegal drug trade, President Duterte’s administration is not afraid of you ),” Sueño said in an interview over Radyo Inquirer 990 AM.

“Kaibigan ka man o hindi, talagang tutugisin kayo (Whether you’re a friend or foe, we will pursue you). The government will run after you. ’Yan ang warning natin sa lahat (That is our warning to everyone),” he said.

Sueño gave this warning a day after Melvin and Meriam Odicta, allegedly the biggest drug lords in Iloilo, were gunned down by still unidentified assailants at the Caticlan port in Aklan province early Monday.

Duterte has previously announced the names of “narco-politicians” and police and military officials who are coddling drug syndicates. One of the local executives on Duterte’s “drug list” was Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog, who denied his drug links.

READ: Rody names politicians, judges, cops allegedly into illegal drugs

The shooting happened almost four days after the Odictas presented themselves to Sueño to clear their names and later to the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP CIDG) to be investigated.

READ: Iloilo ‘drug lord,’ wife go to DILG chief Sueno to clear names

The Western Visayas Police has formed a special investigation task group to conduct a probe on the incident and arrest the perpetrators./rga