CEBU CITY (Updated) -- President Rodrigo Duterte named Tuesday, July 5, retired Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Chief for Administration Marcelo Garbo Jr. and Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot as "drug protectors."
Other alleged drug protectors named publicly by Duterte were former National Capital Region Police Office head Chief Superintendent Joel Pagdilao, former Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Edgardo Tinio, and former police director of Davao Region General Bernardo Diaz.
All of them, except Garbo who has not yet issued any statement as he is reportedly in the United States, denied involvement in the illegal drug trade.
But Duterte said during the 69th anniversary of the Philippine Air Force in Clark, Pampanga, that he ordered them "relieved from their assignments."
"After so many validations – even I was still the mayor of Davao City – their names have already floated," Duterte said.
He said he made the public announcement as he felt he has a "sacred obligation to tell the truth to the Filipino people."
Duterte said he would not allow the drug sale in the country to proliferate.
He warned the police officials not to engage in the illegal drug trade, saying: "With the intensification of criminal syndicates and drug distribution, marami na ang namamaty at marami pang mamamatay. 'Wag kayong sumali dyan. Kahit pa politiko kayo, you will only place yourself in the line of fire."
"Do not destroy the country because I will kill you… I don’t know what will happen if this is not enough for them," Duterte said.
Asked for comment, Mayor Loot told Sun.Star Cebu that he is a victim of black political propaganda.
Loot won as mayor of Daanbatayan town in Cebu with seven votes over his opponent.
"The allegation first came out through a letter to the President and PNP using the letter head of Representative Lucy Torres and her signature. Lucy Torres denied she wrote the letter," he said in a phone interview with Sun.Star Cebu.
He added that he was cleared by then Presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Benigno Aquino III, and stressed that the black propaganda started long ago when his wife, Maria Luisa, entered politics.
Loot's wife was a former Daanbantayan mayor.
He also said that the propaganda was aimed to prevent him from assuming as chief of the PNP in Central Visayas and Manila Police District.
Just like the other named officials, Loot is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy. He retired as general on July 12, 2015. He also held the directorship post at the PNP Training Service.
"I am willing to take any investigation. I will be very happy if I will be given a chance to clear my name... My conscience is clear," he said in a television interview.
Tinio, in a television interview, also denied involvement in the illegal drug trade.
"Kailan, saan at papaano ang pangalan ko ay nadawit sa pinagbabawal na gamot," he said.
Pagdilao said he was puzzled and felt bad that he was dragged into the illegal drug trade, stressing he is not a drug protector.
"Hindi po, wala pong katutuhanan na ako po ay protektor ng iligal na druga. Kahit kailan, hindi po ako nagkaroon nga bahid sa aking paglilingkod sa aking trabaho," he said in a television interview.
"Nagtataka ako at ako poy nalulungkot na akoy nasasangkot sa illegal na druga. Hindi po ako protektor. Nakahanda po akong ipagtanggol po ang aking sarili," he added.
Diaz, for his part, said in a radio interview that he will report to PNP Director General Ronald Dela Rosa on Wednesday, July 6. He said he abhors illegal drugs.
Tinio, Pagdilao and Diaz are still serving the PNP but they were relieved from their posts on July 1, when dela Rosa implemented a revamp.
Garbo could not be reached for comment as he is reportedly in the United States. He was a former police director of Central Visayas when the suspension order was issued against then governor Gwendolyn Garcia in late 2012.
He was accused of siding with the Liberal Party in the provincial race last May, after he visited Cebu to campaign for the administration bets.
He said in an interview with Sun.Star that his visit in Cebu was part of his farewell tour of regional police offices in the country. He retired from military service last March 2.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña defended Garbo, saying he has known him as a "nice guy."
Osmeña said that he never heard Garbo was involved in illegal drugs during the latter's term as PRO Central Visayas chief, although he never got Jeffrey "Jaguar" Diaz, the region's top drug lord who was killed in a shootout in Las Piñas in June.
Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III was also shocked by President Duterte's announcement, because personally, he knew Garbo as an honest policeman.
"So far, kaila man gyud ko ni General Garbo, even before I was governor... I'm a bit shocked, but I have not changed my position that he is an honest police officer as far as I know," Davide said.
He said he has no personal knowledge as to Garbo's involvement in the illegal drug trade. "Karon pa gyud ko kadungog ana. I have no personal relations with him."
Also on Tuesday, Duterte again vowed to eliminate the drug menace and criminality in three to six months, with the help of the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Air Force, and Philippine Navy.
"You work over time and I'll be there with you to supervise everything," he said. (With Ruth Abbey Gita/Elias O. Baquero of Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)