‘No to public shaming’
Mayor Moreno urges PDEA-10 to file charges instead against suspected narco-politicians
CAGAYAN de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno urged the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Northern Mindanao to file appropriate charges against barangay officials said to be involved in illegal drugs than publicly naming or `shaming’ them.
Moreno, however, quickly added he is leaving the matter to PDEA, though he pointed out that condemning a public official is a judicial process.
“I leave that to PDEA, ang pag-release especially nga election (the release especially that it’s election),
ang ako lang pangutana is what if imong pangalan naa diha, sugot ka
(my question is what if it has your name, is it okay for you)? How would you react kung imong ngalan naa diha (if it has your name),” Moreno told reporters Monday.
“Ang pag-condemn man gud is a judicial process (The act of condemning is a judicial process) so I leave that to PDEA and I’m sure they are fully aware of that. Pero lisod baya madaot nimo ang tao (but it is difficult to destroy the person) on the basis only of suspicion,” he said.
“Kung naay violations (If there are violations), bring them to court.”
Even this, the Mayor said he is letting the PDEA “do whatever they want to do” but it should be within the bounds of the law.
In time for Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, PDEA bared a list of narco-politicians if only to guide the public who to vote and elect officials who are only supporting the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.
The PDEA initially listed 11 barangay officials allegedly involved in drugs with no one from Cagayan de Oro.
But last week, the PDEA-10 added 22 more barangay officials.
Three officials are in Cagayan de Oro, 4 in Misamis Oriental, 8 in Bukidnon, 5 in Lanao del Norte, and 1 each in Camiguin and Misamis Occidental.