For his strategies vs drugs: Tomas gets threats

CEBU, Philippines - Because of his promise to stop the problem of illegal drugs in the city, Mayor-elect Tommy Osmeña said he is now receiving threats on his Facebook account.

"There are now a significant number of gremlins on my page (most of them have black profile pictures) who are sending me threats. Most from (barangay) Duljo (Fatima). They are very angry. Do you know what that means? That means what I've done has made a real impact," his Facebook post read.

During a phone interview, Osmeña said that he will just accept the threats and he already gave warnings to people involved in the illegal drug trade.

Osmeña did not give any specifics as to how many threats he received already.

Last October, Osmeña said he would make ending the illegal drug problem in the city part of his campaign.

After he was elected last May 9 Osmeña has also started giving P50,000 to policemen who killed drug lords.

To mention, he gave the said amount to the operatives of City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group headed by Senior Inspector Eunil Avergonzado after they killed the drug pusher, Teodoro Cabriana in Barangay Sudlon 2.

Osmeña said that he took his responsibility as mayor of the city knowing the risks that come with the job. He said he is not scared of those threats and will not stop what he is doing.

"I do not make decisions based on fear," Osmeña said.

Osmeña will also give P10,000 to the policemen who killed alleged drug dealer Jeffrey Otom Diaz, alias "Jaguar", during the operation Friday night in Las Piñas City initiated by the Regional Intelligence Branch Division 7, headed by Superintendent Rex Derilo.

Before Jaguar died, he had an interview with The FREEMAN and where he said he was willing to surrender.

On the other hand, the Association of Barangay Councils will give a statement in support to what lawyer Augusto Isidoro, former National Bureau of Investigation-7 assistant director and current NBI director in Central Mindanao, said that Diaz was killed because he was about to reveal the identities of his police protectors.

ABC president Philip Zafra and Apas barangay captain Ramil Ayuman said their statement will be read in Zafra's privilege speech before the city council this Wednesday.

"Kauyon mi sa grupo sa statement ni Atty. Isidoro, nagkatabi man mi ni Zafra ganiha nga iyang ihatag among bahig pinaagi sa iyang privilege speech inig Wednesday," Ayuman said.

"Naa tay duda gamay ba sa iyang kamatayon kay we received information man gud nga possible sa mga amo ni Jaguar kay mga police official," he said.

When asked why they were showing particular interest in the case of Diaz, he said anyone can become interested in his case because Diaz is a known drug dealer. — (FREEMAN)