Former Interior secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II on Wednesday slammed news reports linking him to the police generals allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.
In a statement, Roxas denied reports that some of the five generals President Rodrigo Duterte linked to illegal drug syndicates had helped him in his unsuccessful presidential campaign for the May 9 elections.
"Nakarating po sa aking atensiyon na may ilang online site at traditional media outlet na nagbabansag sa ilang heneral bilang ‘Roxas Generals.’ Kahit wala namang malinaw na batayan, pinalalabas na nangampanya sila para sa akin noong nakaraang eleksiyon,” Roxas said.
"Lilinawin ko po: Walang Roxas Generals. Ang mga pinangalanang heneral ay hindi naging bahagi ng aking kampanya. Kung nakipag-ugnayan man ako sa kanila, ito ay bilang bahagi ng pagtupad ko sa aking tungkulin noong kalihim ako sa DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government),” he added.
Roxas resigned as DILG chief in August last year, months before he formalized his bid to the presidency. A DILG chief oversees the Philippine National Police (PNP) then.
5 generals
Speaking at the anniversary of the Philippine Air Force on Tuesday, Duterte disclosed the names of five police generals -- two of them have retired from service -- who are allegedly involved in illegal drugs.
Duterte said one of the police generals was former PNP deputy director general Marcelo Garbo, Jr. He said Garbo was a "protector of drug syndicates."
He identified the others allegedly involved in illegal drugs as Vicente Loot, Bernardo Diaz, Edgardo Tinio, and Joel Pagdilao. Garbo and Loot have retired from the PNP. Loot is the newly elected mayor of Daanbantayan town in Cebu.
According to Roxas, Loot even supported the presidential candidacy of Duterte.
Diaz was director of the Police Regional Office 6, Tinio was director of the Quezon City Police District Office and Pagdilao was director of the National Capital Region Police Office.
Diaz was one of the four police officers investigated by the PNP in April after they reportedly met with staff members of Roxas at the Novotel hotel in Cubao, Quezon City. The others were Director Generoso Cerbo Jr. and Chief Superintendents Renier Idio and Ronald Santos.
Cerbo and Idio both said Garbo invited them to the hotel. Cerbo, however, said their meeting did not involve politics.
Sought for comment at the time about the police officers at the Cubao hotel, Roxas said it was only by chance that the generals and a members of his staff were in the same hotel.
"Natanong ko yung isang staff ko. Sabi nila nagkita sila sa lobby. Magkakilala naman sila dahil nanilbihan ako sa DILG, nag -chikahan sila at yun din lang yun," Roxas said then.
Mar to public: Beware of propaganda
Roxas said the public should be critical in differentiating news from propaganda.
"Nanawagan po ako sa ating nga kababayan: Maging kritikal sana tayo sa mga website na nagkukunwaring nagbabalita, pero sa katunayan ay nagpapakalat ng propaganda at maling impormasyon,” he said.
“Malinaw nga po: May mga pagtatangka pa ring dungisan ang aking pangalan kahit matagal nang natapos ang panahon ng eleksiyon,” Roxas said.
He said fighting illegal drugs was one of his priorities during his term as DILG secretary.
"Bibigyan ko po ng diin: Sa simula't sapul ay hindi ko sinuportahan o kinunsinte ang ilegal na droga. Salot ito sa lipunan na sumisira ng pamilya at kinabukasan ng ating mga kababayan,” he said.
“Kung totoo na may kinalaman sa paggamit o pagbebenta ng ilegal na droga ang mga heneral na ito, o kahit na sino pa man, naniniwala ako na ang tama at makatwirang gawin ay sampahan sila ng kaso imbes na magpakalat ng mga haka-haka at espekulasyon,” Roxas added.
Roxas lost the May presidential elections to Duterte with a margin of over six million votes. —KBK, GMA News
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