Lanao Sur town declares ‘war’ against narcotics, terrorism

MARANTAO, Lanao del Sur – Various sectors here have collectively declared war against illegal drugs, terrorism and other organized crimes, pledging utmost support to President Duterte’s drive to bring peace and socio-economic stability in the country, especially in Moro communities.In solemn rites here Thursday, some 300 representatives of women, youth, religious, professional, royalty, academic, police, military and political sectors swore three times to rally the affairs of the Mamamayang Ayaw Sa Anomalya, Mamamayang Ayaw Sa Illegal Drugs (MASA-MASID) program they launched that day.Marantao Mayor Racma Abinal, town police chief Senior Insp. Jory Ventura, an Army officer, all village chairpersons, and leaders of other sectors here underwent the two collective pledging rites.In their collective oaths administered by a trial court judge, the pledgers waged war against any activities related to narcotics, terrorism and other acts in breach of peace and justice in our communities. MASA-MASID volunteers also swore to join hands and liberate our communities from the grips of corruption, illegal drugs and other organized crimes. The mayor’s husband, ex-Mayor Mohammad-Ali Abinal joined the two mass vows, but made a solo pledge earlier, swearing before Islamic clerics and local sultans to undergo a firing squad even in Luneta Park if authorities would find him positive of involvement in narcotics use or trade. In this pledge, I waived my rights to legal process for authorities to have a full hold on me in public execution, said the former three-term mayor, who ran for vice governor but lost in the 2016 elections. Merikano, as peers call the ex-mayor, yielded months ago to National Police Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa, who presented him to media as among people named in the President’s list of narco-politicians. On Thursday, he recalled his admission in Camp Crame that before he joined politics in 2002, he served for 12 years as personal driver to a female relative-in-law, known in Lanao Sur then as Marimar. The female kin, who had divorced an Abinal family member and married later a military officer, was arrested with her new husband by lawmen in Cagayan de Oro City early this year and has since been detained. I was just a driver of Marimar and had nothing to do with illicit business she was in…My political detractors traced by association with her and then set me up under the Duterte government, the ex-mayor told reporters in between sob.Some quarters tried to reset Thursday’s events in view of the military offensives against combined Maute and Abu Sayyaf combatants in Piagapo, a town adjacent here. Some displaced families even sought refuge here.But the ex-mayor and his wife said they pushed through with the rites to set MASA-MASID activities in motion here.