Duterte meets governors: I will kill you if...

MANILA, Philippines - Unlike when he gave orders to police chiefs to shoot dead narco mayors, President Duterte appealed to governors to help in the campaign against illegal drugs during a heart-to-heart talk at Malacañang yesterday.

“Don’t go into the drug business, I will kill you,” he told the provincial executives.

He also urged the governors to not provide protection for drug lords or he would be left with no choice but hold them accountable, hinting that it might lead him to look into how their funds are spent.

“Do not give protection. I will run after you. I will scrutinize your budget. I’ll explain item per item because if your city or town is in disarray and there is massive influence of drugs, (you need to) justify to me your operational (budget). If your city is in disarray and you are not working (to solve it), then you don’t need those extra money,” Duterte said.

He added that the assessments would be true for everyone, both the police and the governors.

“If your name happens to be here (referring to the narco-list), kindly… I don’t know how you’ll make arrangements,” the President also said, pointing out that the “staggering” drug problem is affecting all sectors of society and has destroyed the lives of millions of Filipinos.

The President explained to the governors how he considers the drug problem as a threat to national security and which greatly impacts on the welfare of the Filipino as a human being.

Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba said Duterte was cordial and formal during the meeting and did not scold any of them.

He added that the President revealed to them that 40 percent of barangay captains nationwide are into drugs.

Also in attendance were governors Susan Yap-Sulit of Tarlac and Al Francis Bichara of Albay.

Bichara said he is fully supporting the anti-drug campaign and plans to put up another rehabilitation center for drug dependents in Ligao City.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Bicol earlier reported that 31 percent of barangays in the region have already been cleared of illegal drugs. In Legazpi City, only 16 of the 70 barangays remain to be cleared.

Unforgivable

Addressing 75 police generals ranging from chief superintendent (one-star rank) to deputy director general (three stars) during the oath-taking of recently promoted Philippine National Police (PNP) officers, Duterte revealed how he cursed former police chief superintendent and of now Mayor Vicente Loot of Daanbantayan, Cebu during his meeting with mayors in Malacañang last week.

“I saw Loot. I wasn’t able to hold myself, I cursed him. I told him, ‘Mayor, you are guilty of treason. You were once a police officer and the government was depending on you. The government paid for (your studies) and this is what you did? It is unforgivable. I cannot reconcile how you can be so corrupt,” the President said.

In the same event, he identified a certain Lucerio Antiporda as one of those in his narco-list. Antiporda was listed as a barangay official from Region 2 and is reportedly a member of the so-called Antiporda-Porado drug group.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a chance interview that many of the governors showed interest and support for the President’s call enjoining everyone in dealing with the drug problem.

Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said Duterte did not issue a shoot-to-kill order to police chiefs just like he did in his meeting with the mayors nationwide but made an appeal instead. – With Raymund Catindig, Ric Sapnu, Celso Amo