DUTERTE’S BOMBSHELL — Everybody was appalled early Thursday when news broke out about the drug matrix released by President Duterte that named five Pangasinenses in the alleged drug trade in the New Bilibid Prisons.

Fifth District Rep. Amado Espino Jr, former Department of Justice Undersecretary Francisco ‘Toti” Baraan III, his brother Provincial Administrator Rafael “Raffy” Baraan, Board Member Raul Sison and another new popular name in the whole nation and perhaps, globally, the driver-bodyguard Ronnie Palisoc Dayan.

Of course, Sen. Leila de Lima is there in the matrix, a frequent visitor of Barangay Galarin, Urbiztondo, Pangasinan where her driver Ronnie Dayan and Ronnie’s relative Raul Sison hail from. Then, also a familiar name among Pangasinenses, retired General Franklin Bucayu, who served as police regional director of Region 1 and later appointed Bureau of Corrections chief in previous administration.

Espino in the matrix? Many are in disbelief. Black sand mining, yes; jueteng, yes; quarrying, yes;–these are among big issues that Espino has been linked in several elections but no court verdict yet so far on such allegations.

But drugs? Dios mio, ang tindi nun, nakakatakot naman. Hindi ko na kinaya. Bigla akong nagka-migraine sa kaiisip.

Espino called for a press conference exclusively for his selected media friends plus some from the national television/media outlets based in Metro Manila who purposely arrived to get his side.

What happened during that press conference can be read in the pages of this issue. This PUNCH writer was, unfortunately, not invited (sigh!).

There are many questions in the minds of the people, so many speculations, so many defenses by Espino’s allies, so many premature conclusions and disbeliefs, too, from various sectors of the province.

It’s still too early to judge. Those tagged deserve fair investigation.

Let’s see how far this bombshell will go. –Tita Roces

CHILLING EFFECT — The death of a five-year-old girl from Barangay Mayombo in the hands of unidentified hitmen who went after her grandfather who is in the drug watchlist right inside their residence, has a chilling effect on of peace-loving citizens whose loved ones may also end up as collateral damage in the ongoing war against drugs, if you can call that inevitable part of the drug war waged by the authorities.

Mayor Belen, who extended her sympathy to the bereaved family of Danica Mae Garcia and condemned her killers, expressed hope that no more innocent persons in the city will be caught in the crossfire. If it persists, this drug war waged since day one of the Duterte administration will go to naught as it will be denied of support by the people it seeks to protect in the first place.

Not only that, the audacity of the killers to barge in any abode at any time while hunting their victims, especially those involved in illegal drugs, should make any peace-loving citizens nervous.

To me, it’s about time our lawmen to train their guns on the drug lords and the manufacturers of illegal drugs since they already delivered the message that if one will not stop his or her illegal drug dealing activities, he or she can have a quieter place to go (whatever that means).

At the same time, we were shocked, speechless and dumbfounded to read online that the names of our good friends, former Governor and now Fifth District Congressman Amado Espino Jr., Raffy Baraan and his younger brother Toti Baraan, were included in the supposed National Bilibid Prisons’ drug matrix.

We do not want to prejudge the case but isn’t it essential to provide details of roles played as alleged to support the matrix in fairness to the people mentioned? I believe that without specific details that could really stand scrutiny in court, that matrix will not hold water.

I have no doubt that our friends can weather the storm, just as the former governor had weathered the controversies that came to him, including accusation he masterminded the slaying of a Pangasinan mayor based only on the supposed sworn statement of a 16-year old boy, which was investigated by DOJ and eventually dismissed in the preliminary investigation level due to inconsistencies of the alleged lone witness. – Leonardo Micua

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments