Mind-boggling
According to Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, the allegations made by a former city councilor of Naga City that Vice President Leni Robredo’s brother-in-law is a protector of illegal drugs must be investigated. This allegation was made after President Rodrigo Duterte declared that he did not want Robredo to succeed him if he ever stepped down, because Naga City was a “hotbed” of shabu.
However, no data or information has been cited regarding his statement. PNP director General Oscar Albayalde himself said they did not have any information or data with regards to Naga being a “hotbed” of illegal drugs. There are drugs, but Naga is not known to be a source of illegal drugs. Albayalde did not know where Duterte got his information, but was quick to add that Naga City is the fifth city in the country with the highest crime rate, which may be the reason for Duterte saying it was a “hotbed.” Can’t be too careful with what to say these days. Just ask Dionisio Santiago. Now the question is, why doesn’t the PNP have any information regarding the VP’s brother-in-law’s involvement in illegal drugs? Why is he not in their watchlist or druglist? Yet the Palace says he must be investigated. Promptly.
Compare that to the suspicion of PDEA that around a ton of shabu with an estimated street value of P7 billion was smuggled inside four magnetic lifters discovered in Cavite, because of similarities with the seized magnetic lifters at the Port of Manila that contained 500 kilograms of shabu. There was also a positive reaction for drugs from trained drug-sniffing dogs. But Duterte practically rebuked the PDEA and told them to “not go into speculative contents” after the Bureau of Customs and the PNP swabbed the lifters and they tested negative for drugs. But considering the coincidence with the seized drugs in Manila, Duterte seemed nonchalant about it, even if we are all too familiar with his “hate” for illegal drugs. PDEA chief Aaron Aquino has suspiciously gone on leave.
So a statement from a former Naga councilor with an apparent axe to grind against the Robredos was enough for the Palace to practically order an investigation, but the possibility of a ton of drugs already hitting the streets, partly based on the reactions from trained drug-sniffing dogs that cannot lie or accept bribes is mere “speculation” just boggles the mind. It seems that large amounts of drugs, starting with the almost P7 billion worth of shabu found in metal cylinders in Valenzuela last year, for which no one has been convicted, entering the country does not elicit any rage from the president compared to the small-time dealers and users on the streets that make him go ballistic and tacitly order their deaths. Makes you wonder what exactly he hates more; drugs or the opposition.