Duterte taps kin of drug syndicate victims in antidrug drive

Presidential aspirant and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has assigned relatives of drug syndicate victims from Bicol to spearhead his advocacy against drugs and crime in the country, the Federalismo Alyansa ng Bicol said on Tuesday.

Duterte has designated Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption chair Dante Jimenez and former undersecretary for Bicol affairs and Masbate Vice Gov. Mario Espinosa “to spearhead his activisms” while he is campaigning for the upcoming national elections.

Jimenez and Espinosa both belong to families with members who have been killed by drug syndicates.

Jimenez’s brother Jaime died in 1990 after being suspected by drug lords of having coordinated with authorities who raided their hide-out in Parañaque.

Espinosa, meanwhile, lost his father, brother, and uncle—all government officials who advocated against drugs—supposedly after getting the ire of illegal perpetrators.

Jimenez and Espinosa welcomed their assignments, saying Duterte was the right kind of leader who could wage an effective campaign against drugs.

“The reason why I embrace the antidrugs advocacy is the fact that the spread of this menace should be stopped by all means; now that we have found a leader who has put at stake his reputation and life for this cause, I believe that we Filipinos should rally behind what Mayor Duterte has started,” Espinosa said.

“The only way to fight these problems on drugs, crime and corruption is by having a leader who can sustain a no-nonsense campaign against these criminal elements ruining not only the well-being of our people but the future of our country, as well,” Jimenez added.

Duterte and his running mate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano previously vowed to wipe out drugs and crime in their first six months in office if ever elected in the upcoming polls. RC

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