Cerilo “Athel” Alcala, brother of Quezon Rep. Vicente Alcala, and his son Sajid show up at the police station in Lucena City to refute allegations that they are involved in drug trafficking in the province. DELFIN T. MALLARI JR./INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON FILE PHOTO
LUCENA CITY—A member of a prominent political clan in Quezon province appealed to President Duterte to spare his entire family from what he said are sweeping accusations of involvement in drugs.
Rep. Vicente Alcala said not all members of the Alcala clan are involved in drugs.
“The Alcala clan has a good and clean reputation to protect,” Vicente said in a phone interview on Thursday.
The President, in his address before soldiers in Villamor Air Base on Tuesday night, referred to the Alcala clan as he talked about drugs.
“The one in Quezon, with the Alcalas, publicly I will tell you, that’s true,” he said.
Vicente said while some family members had brushes with the law in the past, they were “not condoning any of their illegal activities.”
“We now have our own families,” he said.
Vicente was apparently referring to his brother, Cerilo or “Athel,” and the latter’s son, Sajid.
Cerilo was arrested thrice on drug charges but was released several years later. Police, however, said Cerilo returned to the illegal drug trade.
Aside from Vicente, two of his brothers and a nephew have served or are serving government in various capacities.
Vicente’s brother, Proceso, is former Quezon representative and served as agriculture secretary of former President Benigno Aquino III. Hermilando Jr. is incumbent provincial board member. Proceso’s son, Irvin, is a former representative.
Due process
Vicente asked Mr. Duterte to give members of his family due process.
The group headed by Cerilo and Sajid had been tagged by police as big-time traders of “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) in Lucena City and nearby towns in Quezon province.
On Aug. 14, Cerilo and Sajid, the top two suspects on the drug watch list of the Lucena City police, surrendered to authorities. Vicente accompanied them to the city police station.
Cerilo had said he is no longer involved in drugs.
But on Sept. 11, Cerilo’s wife, Maria Fe Abutin Alcala, and daughter, Toni Ann, were arrested in a drug bust in Tayabas City.
Mayor Roderick Alcala, whose late father was a first cousin of Vicente, Proceso, Cerilo and Hermilando Jr., was earlier linked to the drug controversy after a newspaper reported that he was also involved in illegal drugs.
The Quezon and Lucena police offices, however, had cleared the mayor. Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon