LMP-Negros Or. chapter fully backs war on drugs
The League of Municipalities in the Philippines-Negros Oriental chapter declared in a statement that it is 100 percent behind President Rodrigo Duterte's war against illegal drugs.
This declaration was issued after a "locked up" meeting in Malacañang with mayors from all over the country the other day.
LMP-Negros Oriental president, Mayor Edcel Enardecido of Ayungon town, said Duterte during the meeting did not name names of mayors who are suspected of being involved in illegal drugs.
Instead, Duterte urged the mayors to maximize the use of their respective intelligence funds or else he will look into how it is being used as the only person other than the Commission on Audit who can make look into this money, Enardecido told The FREEMAN.
It was also disclosed during the meeting that Negros Island Region (NIR) is among the top three regions in the country with the most number of pushers and users, after the National Capital Region, and Region 3 (Central Luzon).
Based on police records, Negros Oriental alone has more than 13,000 civic action volunteers under Operation Tokhang, said Enardecido who meanwhile added that Duterte did not mention about federalism.
Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Ipe Remollo, for his part, said Duterte met them as a mayor himself and not as the president.
Duterte appealed to all mayors to help in the fight against the drug trade, corruption and criminality. Duterte was firm in his belief that the drug trade will not flourish in the localities if the mayors and the police are not in cahoots with each other, said Remollo.
Duterte was also appalled by validated reports that local executives up to the barangay level and the police are involved in the drug trade, said the mayor.
Remollo has reiterated his all-out support to the war against illegal drugs and other forms of criminality especially in Dumaguete City.
Mayor Dyango Uy of Mabinay town in Negros Oriental and Mayor Reynaldo Concepcion of Tanjay City has confirmed that cellphones were kept and no pictures were taken during the meeting as Duterte said “usapang mayor” was to take place.
Concepcion however refused to reveal other pronouncements made by the president so that it will remain among the mayors themselves. He however clarified that he is against the taking of lives, especially drug addicts, but he did not elaborate.