Drilon saddened by naming of judge, 7 Iloilo execs

SENATE President Pro-Tempore Franklin Drilon said yesterday he was hurt and saddened that at least seven officials and a judge in Iloilo were among the over 150 judges, local officials and lawmakers linked to illegal drugs.

“Let me state that I am saddened and hurt that the perception that Iloilo local officials are involved in the drug trade became the basis of such a sweeping description of Iloilo,” Drilon, a senator from Iloilo, said.

Among the Iloilo officials included in the drug list named by President Rodrigo R. Duterte early yesterday morning were: A certain Judge Savillo, RTC Branch 13, Iloilo City; Mayor Alex Centena of Calimag, Iloilo; Mayor Jed Mabilog of Iloilo City; Mayor Sigfredo Salangutin Betita of Carles, Iloilo; Mayor Marciano Malones and Vice Mayor Francis Ansing Amboy of Maasin, Iloilo; and former Iloilo City Councilors Antonio Pesina of Iloilo City and Erwin ‘Tongtong' Plagata.

”All the efforts of the Ilongos for the past five years to make Iloilo an attractive and progressive investment destination and a livable city is negated by a sweeping judgment of the city and province of Iloilo,” Drilon said.

Drilon believes that whatever the identified officials “may have allegedly done are their individual acts, and cannot be the collective guilt of the Ilongos.”

While he strongly supports Duterte's anti-drug campaign, Drilon said due process and the rule of law “must be dutifully upheld.”