3 Cebu execs on narco list
Three former and present barangay officials from Cebu were among the 207 people identified by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency as narco-politicians yesterday.
They were Ramonette Durano, former barangay captain of Suba, Danao City and now the city’s public information officer; Bibiano “Bibs” Cabaron, former barangay captain and now municipal councilor of Ronda; and Ferdinand “Denden” Bas, incumbent barangay captain of Lagtang, Talisay City.
By region, Bicol had the most number of narcopoliticians under PDEA's list with 70, followed by Cordillera Administrative Region with 34, and Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao with 13.
Of the 207, 90 were identified as barangay captains while 117 were barangay kagawads.
PDEA Director-General Aaron Aquino said the list has been validated by four law-enforcement intelligence agencies, including the PDEA, Philippine National Police, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines intelligence service.
“The list is validated by all units. The involvement of this barangay officials were confirmed doon po sa pinakabarangay,” said Aquino at a press conference yesterday morning at the compound of PDEA-Dangerous Drugs Board.
Aquino revealed that 293 officials were initially on the list. But upon validation, they found out that 46 were already arrested, 30 were dead in apparent homicide cases, five were killed in police operations, and another five died of natural causes.
Allegedly, some of the names on the list are users; others are pushers up to the level of being a drug lord. Most of them, though, are protectors, according to Aquino.
Aquino vowed to file cases against these officials in about a week or two.
“While we have at hand pieces of evidence against them, PDEA is continuously conducting case buildup for the cases to be air-tight. PDEA has a greater responsibility to the state and the public because the interest of the majority is greater than that of the erring few,” he said.
Aquino said 274 more barangay officials are under investigation. Once the validation efforts end, PDEA will also reveal their names.
With yesterday's revelation, Aquino expressed optimism that voters would be able to make a more sound judgment in the May 14 barangay and SK elections.
WHERE ARE THEY?
The FREEMAN contacted the Public Information Office of Danao City where, according to PDEA, Durano worked, but was told that the latter has long left the country for the United States.
A staff worker at the office said Durano last reported for work sometime in February 2017. After that, she had reportedly gone to the US upon the petition of her child.
This paper tried to reach Durano through her social media account but received no response as of this writing.
Vice Governor Agnes Magpale said she also heard that Durano, a former president of the Association of Barangay Councils in Danao, has already migrated to the US.
“All I know is that she had a negosyo nga lotto outlet. I never suspected nga apil siya. I'm saddened because I know her personally,” said Magpale.
Durano is Magpale's niece and a half-sister of Ivy Durano-Meca, head of Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office.
Asked for her reaction to Durano's inclusion, Meca's reply was: “No comment.”
In a statement, Cebu Fifth District Representative Ramon 'Red' Durano VI clarified that “there is no appointed PIO in Danao City under the name of Ramonette Durano; and as per Comelec, DILG, CCRO and PNP records, a certain Ramonette Durano of Suba, Danao City does not exist.”
“May I clarify that the previous City PIO was RAMONETTE CYNTHIA D. MAHINAY who has also served as Punong Barangay until October 2013,” the statement said.
Mahinay had valuable contributions to the campaign against illegal drug activities in the city in her capacity as barangay captain and PIO, the statement further read.
Cabaron, meanwhile, vehemently denied allegations he is involved in the illegal drug trade. In fact, he said, he has never seen shabu in his entire life.
“Natingala lang ko nganong naapil ko ani nga hapit na man gani ko naPWD (person with disability) tungod aning akong tiil. Wa koy lakaw-lakaw. Motibo ni sa atong kontra-partido para manaot,” Cabaron told The FREEMAN over the phone.
Elected in 2016, Cabaron is an incumbent municipal councilor in Ronda.
Prior to that, he was the barangay captain of Palanas and eventually went on to become the ABC president.
“Hangyo nako ni Presidente Duterte nga ipaclear intawon akong ngalan. Andam ko moatubang og imbestigasyon anytime,” he said.
Bas could not be reached through his mobile number yesterday.
He was arrested in April 2017 for possession of gun, grenade, and ammunition but Talisay police confirmed yesterday that he was able to post bail last October after the case on possession of explosives was dismissed.
His father, incumbent Talisay City Councilor Toro Bas, said over the phone that he did not know the whereabouts of his son nor have his contact number.
Toro earlier denied that Ferdinand was involved in illegal drugs, explaining that the items seized from the latter in 2017 were merely for self-defense.
CORROBORATION
Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Senior Superintendent Edgar Alan Okubo said Ramonette and Bas were also on their own list of barangay officials with alleged drug involvement.
Some 31 names are on that list, which is now in the hands of the Police Regional Office-7. Some of these politicians, Okubo said, may be part of the 274 officials being investigated by PDEA.
Okubo has already directed the chiefs of police in Danao, Talisay, and Ronda to help in PDEA's efforts to buildup the cases against the three Cebuano officials.
PRO-7 Director Chief Superintendent Robert Quenery, meanwhile, downplayed reports labeling PDEA's list as a “hit list” or a roster of people to be killed.
“The narco list is not a hit list. It is shared already. It's just having people aware lalong-lalo na sa elections,” he said.
CHR SENTIMENTS
While the PDEA believes the list could help the public decide who to vote for on May 14, the Commission on Human Rights-7 maintains that dropping the names of alleged narco-politicians is not the right way to go to cleanse the government of drug-implicated officials.
“Rule of law dictates that filing a case in court is the proper way to apprehend and exact accountability from erring public officials,” CHR7 Director Arvin Odron said.
Odron said while PDEA's intentions are good, the presumption of innocence and the right to due process must not be compromised as these are “constitutional guarantees to ensure that human rights are protected at all times.”
“Making public accusations without due process subjects those concerned to undue shame, violates their right to fair trial, erodes their dignity, and results to suffering of their families,” he said.
Worse, these consequences are “irreversible” even if officials earlier accused are proven to be innocent, he added.