LAWYER Jose Maria Valencia, chief of staff of Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., said President Rodrigo Duterte is already aware of the person behind the affidavits of jailed village chief Manuel Huelar Jr. and illegal drugs bagman Ricky Sereno.
Huelar, in his affidavit implicated the governor and Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson as well as their respective family members, in the illegal drug trade.
In his own, Sereno named former Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Senator Franklin Drilon and Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog as having alliance with the late Western Visayas drug lord Melvin Odicta.
Valencia said that based on the information he received, the President already knew the real story behind the affidavits.
The provincial officials denied the claims of Huelar, and believed that the affidavit is politically-motivated and meant to tarnish their names before the President because the affidavits came out a day before his visit during the 38th Masskara Festival last October 22.
Valencia said Marañon with former lawmaker Jeffrey Ferrer and wife Fourth District Representative Juliet Marie Ferrer, and former La Carlota City Mayor Demi Hondrado, who were also mentioned in the affidavit, will file libel cases against Huelar and a local newspaper which published the “unfounded and false accusations against them.”