Palace: Duterte not singling out Iloilo mayor Mabilog in drug war

Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog. NESTOR BURGOS / INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The administration is not singling out Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog in its anti-narcotics campaign with the appointment of controversial drug war cop Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido to the city, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Mr. Duterte was not targeting just Mabilog in the anti-drug campaign.

“I don’t think there’s any need to single out Mabilog in that sense, but it is simply part of the President’s overall campaign against illegal drugs,” Abella said in a press briefing.

Asked why Espenido was still assigned to Iloilo City despite Mr. Duterte earlier saying that it was no longer much of a “hotbed” of illegal drugs, Abella said he could not give the reason.

But he added that the President has his own plan.

“He has his own reasons, he has his own sources of intelligence and he also has his own plan of action,” he said.

Espenido became controversial because of the the killings of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa and Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldp Parojinog when he was chief of police in their areas. The mayors had alleged links to the drug trade.

Mabilog, whom the President had accused of protecting drug peddlers, has denied involvement in the narcotics trade and has reportedly sought a meeting with the chief executive.

Abella believes Mr. Duterte would be willing to sit down with Mabilog. JE