DAVAO CITY (Updated 11:29 PM) – Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, warned the brains behind an alleged black propaganda that is “fabricating” a drug laboratory to discredit the city’s anti-drug drive.
“Do not do it. I will break your heart. I will break somebody else’s heart,” Duterte said in a video on Facebook and Youtube.
Duterte, alluding to his rivals in the coming presidential election, believes the action is also meant to discredit his candidacy.
In the video, Duterte claimed to have received reports that top operatives from drug enforcement agencies are in the city to assemble a fake shabu laboratory, and would later stage a “raid.”
“If it is true, we will admit. There’s no problem with that. We cannot hide the truth. The truth is the truth. Pero kung mag-fabricate kayo, set up a laboratory here, maawa kayo sa sarili niyo, maniwala ka (But if ever you fabricate and set up a laboratory here, have pity on yourselves, trust me),” he said.
“Ang Davao malinis. I can vouch for that as mayor and I can also say the same statement coming from the military and the police (Davao City is clean),” the mayor added.
As of 8:29 pm, the video has reached 1,629 views and 775 shares on Youtube and Facebook, respectively.
Duterte also asked the media to hear their camp’s side before reporting information related to illegal drugs as “reports (are) coming in very fast.”
An ally of Duterte, former North Cotabato Congressman Manny Piñol earlier hinted that a “demolition job”” is on its way to Davao, to which he call a “The Great Raid.”
“The Great Raid,” he said on his Facebook account on January 18, “will reportedly involve special anti-drugs units of the government who will be fielded to Davao City at any given time and swoop down on a ‘drug laboratory’.”
Piñol said his informants told him that the mayor’s rivals want to make it appear that Duterte’s campaign against drug syndicates are done to weed out competition.
Duterte’s son dares accusers: prove it
Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, who is seeking for reelection, also reacted to accusations linking him to illegal drugs trade.
In a press conference on Tuesday, the vice mayor said that such black propaganda aims to link him to drug abuse, which would be a huge slap to one of his father’s main presidential platform.
The media asked the younger Duterte to name the people behind the “great raid” but only hinted of a presidential bet which he refused to identify.
“If you can prove that I am involved in any drug related o unsa ba diha nga smuggle kog drugs, di nako ninyo kinahanglan dakpon ako mismo mosulod sa prisohan. Ako mismo ang moatubang sa akong amahan patya nako kay tinuood diay o naa silay ebidensiya! Ayaw kog binuangi ingon-ana (If you can prove that I am related in any drug-related trade, you do not need to arrest me. I myself will surrender. I will face my father and ask him to kill me because the allegation is true and they have evidence. Do not make a fool out of me),” he said.
Accusations of the younger Duterte’s role as a drug lord, drug addict, smuggler, car napper, and a rapist recur during election period, he said. And as such, he challenged the people behind the accusations to “prove it.”
“Nagsugod pa lang kanang tigulang nga Nograles, ako nay drug addict, drug lord, smuggler, tanan carnapper, Gidugangan pa anang tigulang sa Cebu nga nanganad ug rapist nako karon. Kadaghan na nakog sala niining kalibutana (It started with the older Nograles (former Congressman Prospero Nograles). I was called a drug addict, drug lord, smuggler, carnapper. And an elderly in Cebu also called me a rapist. I have so many sins),” he said.
The members of the Duterte family — Sara, Paolo, and Rodrigo — are running for public positions this year. Among the three, Paolo is running unopposed. On the other hand, Sara is running for mayor against independent candidates Teodoro Mantilla and Alfredo Tocante. (With a report from Ace R. Morandante/davaotoday.com)
