By Genalyn Kabiling
President Duterte did not mince words with former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog during his visit to his home turf Wednesday, threatening anew to kill the suspected narco-politician if he returns to the country.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (ACE MORANDANTE/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)
The tough-talking President looked for the former mayor in the middle of his speech and issued a stern warning against officials involved in the illegal drug trade.
"Saan ang mayor ninyo dito? Saan na ‘yung pinalitan mo Mayor? Saan ba si Mayor? ” Duterte said before a national assembly of councilors in Iloilo City.
"Sinabi ko sa kanila, 'magbalik ka dito sa… T*** i*****, patayin talaga kita’ ," he added.
The President has accused Mabilog as a suspected protector of drug syndicates, who has allowed Iloilo to become the "most shabulized” province in the country.
Mabilog has denied the President's allegations and left the country to allegedly seek medical treatment last year. He was later removed from his post by the Office of the Ombudsman for failing to declare his true wealth.
In his speech in Iloilo, the President warned anew mayors against getting involved in illegal drugs or else face fatal consequences.
"Itong mga mayors ganito. If you are into drugs, you better shape up. Huwag mong patayin ‘yung mga pulis na ayaw sumama sa racket mo ," he said.
"Kasi ‘pag ginalaw mo ‘yung pulis --- military, individually they are helpless. Pero kung ang gobyerno na kalaban mo, p****** i** patay ka talaga ," he said.
He said the mayors would be "playing with fire" if they would kill policemen who refuse to join their drug operations.
“Once you start to do that, you are playing with fire. And I assure you, as I have said, do not destroy this country ‘cause I will kill you. Do not destroy our children because I will really kill you,” he said.
The President’s last visit to Iloilo province was in February when he visited the wake of slain overseas Filipino worker Joanna Demafelis in Sara town. He dropped by at Camp Adriano Fernandez in Dingle, Iloilo afterwards.