Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido on Monday said his assignment to Iloilo City was “God’s will,” saying he would do his best to pursue the government’s war on drugs in the city earlier described by President Rodrigo Duterte as the “most shabulized” in the country.
“Maski saan ang gusto ng Presidente natin doon tayo. Kasi iniisip ko na yun talaga ay may pahintulot ng Panginoon,” he told reporters in an ambush interview at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.
Espenido assured the President he would do his best to help in the government’s crackdown on illegal drugs.
“God’s will,” he said when asked about his new assignment. “Alam ko naman na lahat ng gusto ng senior office ko, lalo na kay Presidente, ay God’s will yan. So we will do our best.”
Espenido was the police director of Albuera, Leyte, when Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. was killed in an alleged shootout inside the subprovincial jail in Baybay City.
Espenido also led the raids on the houses of the Parojinog clan in July that led to the death of Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and 14 others.
After the deadly operations in Leyte and Ozamis City, Espenido was asked if the same would also happen in Iloilo City.
“God’s will. God’s will. Hindi naman sa atin yung buhay. Sa Panginoon yan. Maski patayin ni Espenido kung hindi yan mamatay, hindi yan mamamatay. Kung hindi rin natin gusto mamatay kung mamatay siya, mamatay talaga siya. Because I believe yung buhay natin, ang may-ari ang Panginoon,” he said.
Asked about his message to Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, Espenido asked the mayor to cooperate in the government’s drug war.
“Sa akin lang sana na mag-stop [na],” he said.
“Cooperate lang. Yun ang pinaka-best,” he told Mabilog so he could clean his name among the list of narcopoliticians.
Mabilog has been included in the drug list of the President for allegedly protecting drug syndicates, an accusation the mayor has repeatedly denied.
Duterte said Espenido asked him to be assigned to Iloilo but the police official was mum whether he was the one who requested to Duterte to be reassigned.
“Nasa Panginoon kung saan ako ilagay doon ako, punta na lang tayo. Wag na nating i-issue kung sino yung naglagay. Ang importante para sa bayan, para sa lahat, God’s will yan,” he said.
He said charges should be filed against abusive police officials and should be jailed if proven guilty.
“Kung may abuse ang police, ikulong. File-lan ng kaso para naman hindi mapunta yung accusation sa Presidente natin,” he said.
Citing the Bible in Romans 13:1-5, he reminded every Filipino to “Be a good, law-abiding citizen.” CBB