LINGAYEN— An emotional Second District Board Member Raul P. Sison

whose name was included in the drug matrix released by President Duterte, cut short his vacation in the US to clear his name and to assure his constituents that he is open for any investigation about his activities, which he said definitely does not involve illegal drugs.

Appearing emotional in a press conference Monday at the Capitol Resort Hotel here, he vehemently denied presidential allegations that he’s invovled in illegal drug operations at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) during a press conference held in Lingayen last Tuesday.

“I have nothing to do with illegal drugs and I was never involved in it.”

He also denied describing Fifth District Representative Amado T. Espino, Jr. as “the richest politician in northern Luzon” and even defended the latter from the same allegation that he’s involved in the drug trade inside the NBP as he reiterated his high respect for the former governor.

He said he always referred to the former governor as “the best governor” never as “the richest” as alleged in the matrix.

“I have high respect for our former governor and congressman. There is no truth that I said such statement,” Sison said. He added that Cong. Espino is like a father, and a friend to him.

BM Sison was in the US with his wife to attend a relative’s wedding when President Duterte released the “drug matrix.”  He said he cut short his vacation upon learning of the news and headed back home to shed light and clear his name.

He said he and his family were surprised and hurt why his name was included in the matrix in the alleged New Bilibid Prison drug trade.

He said he has been earning from being a “kasador (bet manager)” in the country’s cockpit arenas for several decades already and is even known as the “best kasador” in the trade.

“That’s where I get money, from cockfighting through my work as “kasador”, not in drugs,” he said.

He said he and his son, Urbiztondo Mayor Martin Raul Sison II even provided personal funds for police’s buy-bust operations to curb illegal drugs in their town.

He said nowhere in the matrix was any statement that he is involved in illegal drugs or has benefited from drugs money yet is mere inclusion gave impression that he did. “I don’t know what, I don’t know why me,” he said in utter wonderment.

He thanked Gov. Amado Espino III and his colleagues in the provincial board for passing a resolution expressing their support to him in this crucial time of his political career.

He speculated that it is perhaps simply because Ronnie Palisoc Dayan, the former driver-bodyguard of Sen. Leila de Lima is his townmate from Urbiztondo and a distant relative, that some people decided to implicate him.

He said as he saw nothing in the relationship between de Lima and Dayan but merely as her driver-bodyguard. He said Dayan only became popular in their town when he was already seen with de Lima as her driver-bodyguard.

He also said he is willing to submit himself to a drug testing to prove it.

When asked about the possibility that the whole thing is politically motivated, Sison thinks politics could have been a factor and in fact hinted that the source of the drug matrix  could’ve actually come from Pangasinan but would not, however, reveal exactly who might be behind it.

He said he will meet with the PNP provincial director and regional director before he reports to PNP Chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to clear his name

Sison wants a thorough probe about the drug matrix to find out who really benefited from drugs money and “have proper forum to defend ourselves so that I could also clear my name”.

He said he wanted to see the President but knows no one who could connect him to the Chief Executive.

BM Sison assured his provincemates, particularly his constituents in Second District of his unwavering and continuing efforts to provide quality public service.  (Tita Roces with report from PIO)

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