Two ‘crime busters’ meet, endorse 2016 candidacies

CEBU, Philippines - Presidential wannabe, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, and independent senatorial aspirant, Levi Baligod, lawyer of whistleblowers and a private complainant of the P10-billion PDAF scam, recently met in Davao that ended with the raising of each other’s hand as a sign of mutual endorsement for the 2016 elections.

Baligod, husband of Baybay City (Leyte) mayoralty candidate Malot Galenzoga, traveled to eastern Mindanao last week on invitation from various groups in different provinces.

His visit to Digos City, passing thru Davao City, paved the way for a meeting with known “crimebuster” Duterte, whose roots are traced back to the Visayas.

Upon his return to Leyte, Baligod told The Freeman: “We privately talk for about 20 minutes before Mayor Duterte took my hand and said ‘tara na ubusin natin ang mga corrupt sa gobiyerno.’”

Baligod was the counsel of Benhur Luy and other whistleblowers against Janet Napoles in the PDAF scam, and had filed plunder charges against four senators and 44 congressman allegedly linked to the pork barrel controversy.

He was dismayed, however, that only three senators—the one belonging to the administration party was spared—were indicted and detained, and all other cases got stalled at the Justice Department and the Ombudsman to this day.

After the Duterte meeting, Baligod said he is now seeking for a mandate in the Senate to be able to continue his battle against corruption regardless of who are involved or what they are in government.

Baligod on November 8 launched his independent run for a Senate seat at the AFP Officers Club inside Camp Aguinaldo, in the presence of officers of non-government organizations, the national media and friends, including Senator Tito Sotto.

The senatorial aspirant, whose national headquarters was opened near Buendia-LRT station in Makati City, said his advocacy has been to fight criminality and corruption in government, in the same vein as that of Duterte’s. (FREEMAN)