Loot wants probed to clear his name

CEBU, Philippines — Retired police general and now Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot has renewed his appeal to the government to clear his and other local officials’ names from allegations of illegal drugs links by launching a formal investigation.

Loot has asked the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Justice, or any other government agency to subject himself to investigation so that he could be given opportunity to clear his name.

“Niadto na ko sa PNP, niadto na ko sa PDEA, niadto na ko sa NBI and requested them to investigate me... Kung naa pay laing pwede mahangyo nako nga maimbestigar ko para ma-prosecute ko nila kung naa, ug ma-clear ko nila kung dili tinood, duolon nako para lang i-submit akong kaugalingon,” Loot told The FREEMAN by phone yesterday.

His statement came after a Department of Justice panel junked the case against Cebu businessman Peter Lim, self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, and others who were earlier linked to the illegal drug trade in the Visayas.

It can be recalled that no less than President Duterte tagged Loot and four other retired police generals in the illegal drug trade in 2016.

Loot already asked the DILG to investigate local officials who were included in the so-called “narco list” of the President.

“Dili lang DOJ kon dili other government agencies nga tasked to do their jobs. In fact, ako man naistorya man gani ang DILG Secretary nga nag-request ko niya nga mag-create siya og body nga mo imbestiga sa mga local officials nga nadawit yong pangalan,” Loot said.

Loot added that he got DILG’s nod on his request.

“If evidence is found, prosecute them. And if there’s no evidence, i-clear those who were mentioned para fair sa tanan ba kay how can I clear my name kung ako lang ang i-task nga mo-clear sa akong kaugalingon?” he said.

Loot has repeatedly denied allegations linking him to the drug trade. He has said he was just a victim of “name dropping” by those who, he said, wanted to promote their personal interests.

“Obviously, I'm a victim of influence peddling and I hope makita na nila,” Loot said.

In 2016, Loot said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) already cleared him from accusations of his involvement in drugs. The National Bureau of Investigation also reportedly contacted him after Espinosa’s testimony in a Senate inquiry.

Espinosa, in that hearing, mentioned Loot being one of the PNP officials who received bribes worth P120,000 monthly through his “bagman” Chief Inspector Leo Laraga of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Eastern Visayas.

This allegedly happened in late 2011 when Loot was still assigned in Region 8.

Loot said he already submitted before the NBI an affidavit that he executed during the Senate inquiry.

The mayor said he's been submitting himself to different investigations just to clear his name. (FREEMAN)