Death threats

Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing is the second local chief executive who claims to have received death threats in relation to his duties. This prompted the mayor to beef up his security and that of his family.

Quisumbing attributed the threats to his life to his tough stand against illegal drug trade in Mandaue City. "We have. There have been several threats. Some through my phone, some that called, some via text, some through intelligence sa police because we detected, for example, the presence of several guns-for-hire that are operating in the city of Mandaue," he said.

Earlier, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña revealed that he has been receiving death threats and accused the police of being behind them. In fact, he claimed he is now a target of some policemen and civilians now deployed in Cebu as a hit squad.

Unlike Quisumbing, Osmeña did not specify the reason behind the threats to his life. We did not hear him blame illegal drugs. Well, the intensified campaign against drugs in Cebu City is purely led by the police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency although we know Osmeña is supporting it.

Quisumbing, for his part, blames illegal drugs for the threats to his life. But we have not seen him taking the lead in swooping down on drug dens in Mandaue City although we know he fully supports the authorities’ anti-drug campaign.

If the threats are real, Quisumbing should not only single out illegal drugs. There are other areas worth looking into. For instance, his sweeping drive against business establishments operating without permits may have drawn the ire of some businessmen who wanted to hit back at him.

However, whatever the reason, Quisumbing and the police should take the threats to his life seriously. As he heightens his security, Quisumbing should also send a message that no amount of threats can intimidate him by increasing the drive against illegal activities in his city.