DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/12 August) – A town mayor in Iloilo came all the way to this city on Thursday to seek an audience with President Rodrigo Duterte to clear his name as one of the local officials allegedly involved in illegal drugs.
But Mayor Mariano Malones of Maasin, Iloilo failed as members of the Presidential Security Group he could not see Duterte because he had no appointment with the President.
Malones told MindaNews he could not get a Manila-Davao flight so he booked a Manila-General Santos City flight.
He said he traveled for three hours from General Santos to Davao only to be denied entry by the PSG officer at the gate of “Malacanang of the South” where he waited for another three hours.
While in the city, Malones tried to connect to the President through his friends and acquaintances, including police officials in Duterte’s circle, having lived in the city for 11 years while studying at Rizal Memorial College. Still, he failed [to see Duterte].
The mayor said his 22-year political career in Maasin is beyond question.
He said he was not afraid to come to Davao because he is familiar here, and even called Duterte a friend.
“I was just taking chances, Pres. Duterte is a friend,” he said.
“But it was difficult to make arrangement with the President, I just tried my luck.
“I wanted to clear my name. I appeal to him to reconsider me. I am not involved in any illegal transactions, especially illegal drugs.
” (Ferdinandh Cabrera/MindaNews)