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CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 07 August) – President Rodrigo Duterte said the list ot 163 persons allegedly involved in the illegal drugs trade is a “validated” list but SPO1 Reynaldo dela Victoria, one of those tagged, need not be on the list: he was arrested by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in September 2014 and is presently detained at the Lumbia City Jail here.
Duterte announced the names of 163 judges, politicians and police officers on his drugs watchlist.
A cursory check of the winners in the May 2016 elections at the Commission on Elections website revealed that of the alleged Mindanao mayors tagged by Duterte as alleged drug personalities, only eight are winners.
The rest are not even listed as candidates for mayors and one personality – Bobby Alingan — was listed as mayor of a non-existent town of Kolambugan in Davao del Norte. The town of Kolambugan is in Lanao del Norte.
The seven mayors found in the Comelec list are Reynaldo Parojinog of Ozamiz City; Norodin Salasal of Datu Salibo town, Maguindanao; Vicman Montawal of Datu Montawal town, Maguindanao; Samsudin Dimaukom of Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, Maguindanao; Rasul Sangki of Ampatuan town, Maguindanao; Montaser Sabal of Talitay town, Maguindanao; and Gamar Ahay Janihim of Sirawai town in Zamboanga del Norte
Duterte also named Rep. Guillermo Romarate Jr of the second district, Surigao del Norte but the district is now represented by Rep. Robert Ace Barbers. Romarate, who denied he is involved in illegal drugs (see other story) was the former three-term representative of the district who ran for Governor in the last elections but lost.
A check at the Philippine Naitonal Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Alagar showed that of seven policemen tagged by Duterte in Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon, only two– Superintendent Ricardo Gando and Senior Police Officer 4 Rodrigo Ramos—are still on active duty at the Bukidnon PNP. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)