‘Cebu City mayor not on Duterte’s narco list’

MANILA, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is not on President Duterte’s list of politicians allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, (PDEA) director general Aaron Aquino said yesterday.

Aquino said PDEA has not received any report confirming Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre’s statement that Osmeña is in the payroll of drug lords.

Aquino said there should be a “careful and thorough validation” of the allegations  against Osmeña even as he stressed that non-inclusion in the President’s narcolist does not necessarily mean a person is not involved in illegal drugs.

Aquino said 87 politicians, including mayors and vice mayors, are on the President’s drug watchlist.

Aguirre had said the National Bureau of Investigation is building a case against Osmeña. 

The justice chief said Reynaldo Diaz, a cousin of slain Central Visayas drug lord Jeffrey Diaz, alias Jaguar, submitted an affidavit wherein Osmeña was named as a protector of drug lords.

Aquino said PDEA would tap other agencies in validating Aguirre’s statement. 

“I have coordinated with the PDEA regional office... Maybe we will call on the NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency) and PNP (Philippine National Police) to get their take on the matter,” he said.

Aquino said some sectors are politicizing illegal drugs in view of the forthcoming barangay and national elections.

Aguirre’s revelations against Osmeña came after the mayor threatened to file graft and disbarment cases against the justice chief over his supposed interference in the tax evasion charges filed by the Cebu City government against executives of SM Prime Holdings and BDO Unibank Inc.

Aguirre said Osmeña should just file charges instead of threatening him.