Rody not singling out Iloilo mayor — Palace

President Duterte is not singling out Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog, Malacañang said yesterday, after he warned the local official against protecting drug lords.

Duterte has advised Mabilog to cut his supposed ties with drug syndicates after assigning controversial policeman Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido to Iloilo.

The President even asked whether Mabilog would still live, noting that the mayors of Espenido’s previous assignment areas have died. Mabilog has been accused of protecting drug lords but he has denied the allegation.

“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,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said.

Espenido oversaw the operations that resulted in the death of Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog last month.

He was also the police chief of Albuera, Letye when its mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. was arrested and subsequently killed inside his prison cell last November.

Like Mabilog, Espinosa and Parojinog were included in the list of politicians with alleged links to illegal drugs.

Mabilog has welcomed Espenido’s appointment and has vowed to work with the police to curb illegal drugs in his city.

Abella said Espenido would be part of the “whole government” approach against illegal drugs, which include prevention and rehabilitation of users.

He reiterated that the government’s crackdown on illegal drugs would uphold human rights.

“We call on our people to unite with the state in our campaign against drugs through both police action and drug prevention and rehab with full respect for human rights and the rule of law, which is the pledge of the President,” Abella said.

With his latest assignment, many believe that Espenido might be bringing his bloody trail to Iloilo, just like what happened to Albuera, Leyte and Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental.

Members of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group gunned down Espinosa and another prisoner Raul Yap in an alleged shootout inside their prison cells in Baybay City, Leyte on Nov. 25, 2016. Espenido was then chief of police of Albuera.

The agents of the CIDG in Eastern Visayas were suspended but were reinstated after six months.

Parojinog, his wife, a brother and several others were killed after an alleged shootout inside his house with policemen led by Espenido, then Ozamiz City police chief, while the police officers were serving a search warrant last July 30.

Espenido’s other murder case

Espenido yesterday asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to dismiss the criminal charges against him over the killing of nine suspected robbers during an operation last June.

Espenido appeared at the DOJ and submitted his counter-affidavit denying the murder and arbitrary detention charges filed by relatives of Francisco Manzano, one of the suspects killed during a reported shootout with the police last June 1 in Ozamiz City.

Accompanied by lawyer Andres Fernandez, Espenido denied the allegation of rubout in killing the suspects during the series of raids in Cabinti and Balintawak villages where six other suspects were arrested.

The police official said the allegations were fabricated.

“It is very unfortunate that complainant has succumbed to the pressure by the Parojinog group. Understandably, she is helpless. I know fully well that this case is sponsored by the Parojinog group because the suspects involved were members of their armed group and, more importantly, to stop me from doing my job as a police officer,” it stressed.

Espenido insisted that it was a legitimate operation and that the robbery suspects were killed after they shot it out with the police.

Iloilo City police director Senior Superintendent Remus Zacharias Canieso said there is no demoralization among the ranks and welcomed Espenido to the city.

Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) spokesman, said they welcome Espenido’s assignment to Western Visayas, particularly in Iloilo.

“We welcome everyone who wants to work here and help us combat criminality,” he added.

Gorero said anyone who wanted to work for the good of the Ilonggo people should not be a cause for demoralization.

Insult

But for some netizens, the assignment of Espenido is an insult to the men and women of PRO-6.

Facebook user Fran C Isco, a policeman, shared his view on the recent development.

“The need for a one man to come over to solve the alleged menace here is an indication that we are futile and incapacitated to do our job,” his post read.

Gorero said there is no formal order on Espenido’s assignment at PRO-6.

President Duterte announced that Espenido would be assigned in Iloilo.

On the occasion of the National Heroes Day at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on Aug. 28, Duterte told Espenido, “You asked for assignment sa Ozamiz, namatay ang mayor doon. Ngayon gusto mo sa Iloilo, kasi si Mabilog.”

Duterte had labeled Iloilo as the “most shabulized” and a “bedrock of drugs,” particularly a “transshipment point” of illegal drugs in the Visayas.

Immediately following Duterte’s pronouncement, Mabilog issued a statement welcoming Espenido’s assignment to Iloilo.

Mabilog said he is ready to work with Espenido to eradicate the illegal drug problem in Iloilo.