Political allies: Mayor didn’t tolerate Jaguar

CEBU, Philippines -  A police official and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s allies have brushed aside insinuations that activities of suspected druglord Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz in Barangay Duljo-Fatima has been tolerated by the chief executive.

This was after former mayor Tomas Osmeña, in an interview over DYCM yesterday morning, hinted at his political nemesis’ supposed complacence towards Jaguar.

Cebu City Police Office Intelligence Branch Chief Romeo Santander, however, said there is no truth to the allusion.

“In fact, it was the mayor who ordered us to go after druglords and to put a stop to the illegal drug trade, particularly in Duljo Fatima,” said Santander during the weekly Suknaay sa SUKNA Forum at the Mariner’s Court, Pier 1, Cebu City yesterday.

Santander said it was just that it took some time for them to conduct surveillance on Diaz before they applied for a search warrant.

Camputhaw Barangay Councilman Raymond Alvin Garcia, on the other hand, turned the table on Osmeña in the same forum, which was organized by Sugbuanong Komenta-rista’ng Nagpakabana.

Garcia, the Barangay Councilors League of the Philippines-Cebu City chapter president, said Rama even lost in Duljo Fatima during the last elections by 1,000 votes.

“Ang akong nadunggan nga ang suportahan ni Jaguar modaug gyud diha sa Duljo.  Kamo nalay sabot ana,” he said.

SUKNA president and former Anad Partylist congressman Pastor “Jun” Alcover likewise defended Rama.

“I think Tomas was trying to inject politics in the Duljo raid by insinuating that Mayor Mike is supporting druglord Jaguar,” Alcover said.

Both Garcia and Alcover are running for north district city councilors under Team Rama in the 2016 elections.

Rama earlier declared that no one should be immune from being questioned if a certain government official or police authority is found protecting druglords.

A week ago, CIB operatives raided Diaz’s compound in Sitio Santo Niño, Duljo Fatima and seized P4 million worth of suspected shabu.

The compound, however, was deserted when authorities arrived, with Diaz and his relatives, who were subjects of the search warrant, were nowhere to be found.

That prompted Santander to say that someone, who may even be a policeman, likely leaked the operation to Diaz.

A follow-up operation led to the arrest of three men, who were allegedly Diaz’s henchmen, and seizure of P2.1 million worth of suspected shabu.

Santander assured they would continue going after illegal drug personalities, including those who have eluded them in their previous operations. — / RHM (FREEMAN)