TWO days after he was named a drug protector by President Rodrigo Duterte, Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot put up P50,000 as reward for a police officer who eliminates a drug pusher in his town.
There’s also a P10,000-reward for the arrest of a drug pusher.
He said he is offering the bounty as part of his serious campaign to rid his town of illegal drugs.
He went to Capitol yesterday to see Gov. Hilario Davide III and presented to the governor his anti-drug program called “Oplan Crystal.”
He set 100 days to carry out his anti-drug campaign and see results.
Also included in his program is free funeral service for the slain drug pusher. As he expects more drug pushers to fall, he plans to expand the town cemetery.
At a press conference later, Loot said that in July 2013, Duterte, then Davao City mayor, had recommended him to be director of Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 to then President Benigno Simeon Aquino III.
The recommendation alone means he could not be a drug protector, Loot said. He showed reporters Duterte’s letter of recommendation..
That time, Loot said, he and Duterte had a personal talk as they knew each other.
Loot believes some of his PNP colleagues and the political detractors of his wife, Maria Luisa Loot, who is a former mayor of Daanbantayan, are behind the black propaganda.
Before his appointment as director of the Manila Police District, Loot said, Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres sent a letter complaint to an undersecretary at the Office of the President, on the alleged irregularities and protection of a drug personality in Ormoc City by then Mayor Edward C. Codilla, Loot and other police and jail officers in Region 8.
The complaint was endorsed to then Chief PNP Alan Purisima, who wrote back the undersecretary Gomez’s letter-complaint was unsubstantiated. Purisima had noted that the letter came from a fictitious source as shown by the fake signature and letter head used.
Loot presented the documents to reporters yesterday after his meeting with the governor.
Loot was scheduled to meet PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa yesterday to clear his name.
The other generals implicated in Duterte’s expose are Chief Supt Joel Pagdilao, Chief Supt Edgardo Tinio and Chief Supt Bernardo Diaz.
Corro
Meanwhile, former Daanbantayan mayor Augusto Corro yesterday urged Loot to take a leave of absence amid the accusation against him.
Corro defeated Loot’s wife in the 2013 mayoralty race.
Loot, who retired as chief superintendent of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in July 2015, defeated him in this year’s election by only seven votes.
Corro said that contrary to what others are thinking, he is definitely not happy about the statement of the President that Loot is a protector of illegal drug traders.
“I know that Loot is considered innocent until proven guilty. I am sad to what happened to him because the people of Daanbantayan were put on the spot. This is nothing politics here. But maulaw baya ko anang hitaboa,” Corro said. Superbalita Cebu/Elisha Judy P. Tabaque, UP Cebu Intern