Duterte meeting with mayors was ‘very intimate’ – Andanar

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar described the meeting between President Rodrigo Duterte and the country’s mayors on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017, as ‘heart-to-heart.’ INQUIRER FILE / NINO JESUS ORBETA

“It was a heart to heart talk between the President and the mayors.”

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar had that to say after President Rodrigo Duterte talked to all the country’s mayors in Malacañang on Wednesday.

“It was a closed door meeting and the President just wanted to talk to the mayors. He wanted to talk to them in a very intimate manner,” Andanar said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990AM on Thursday.

The Palace official said the meeting, held in three batches, was “highly confidential” and a “government matter.”

“It was amplifying the message and the policy of the President on the illegal drugs. This is the priority policy of the President,” he said.

On Wednesday, various mayors who were present during the expletive-laced meeting told the INQUIRER that Duterte cursed and threatened local chief executives involved in the illegal drug trade.

READ: Duterte curses, threatens mayors during Palace meeting

Mayor Krisel Lagman Luistro of Tabaco City in Albay said: “The President warned us that those involved in drugs should stop or face the consequences. He specifically said that he would kill whoever is involved. It was fair warning.”

“Mayors engaging in illegal drug trade and corruption were cursed and threatened,” a Luzon mayor, who asked not to be named, said in a text message in Filipino.

The source said Mr. Duterte again mentioned Vicente Loot, a former police officer and now mayor of Daanbantayan in Cebu, as among those supposedly involved.

“He was really angry at Loot,” the source said, adding that the President also named nine judges on his narcolist.

The Inquirer sources said they were asked to leave their mobile phones with security personnel before they met with the Chief Executive.

During a meeting with one group from the Visayas, Duterte said he had directed the chiefs of police of towns and cities to shoot mayors involved in drugs.

“He said he will protect the policemen and even grant them pardon if they will be convicted,” a participant said. “We were silent when the President said this while we were at the Rizal Hall. Many of us felt that we were threatened.” CBB/rga

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