The National Democratic Front in Eastern Visayas has denied
a news report that their group cleared the Ong political clan in Northern Samar from any involvement in illegal drugs.
In a statement, NDF Eastern Visayas spokesperson Santiago
Salas said there is an ongoing investigation on the alleged involvement of key
northern Samar officials in the proliferation
of illegal drugs.
“Why would the Ongs go to that extent, even using NDF-EV, if
they are indeed innocent and if they have nothing to fear from the Duterte
government?” Salas asked.
The statement is in response to the news stories published
on Aug. 8 that NDF-EV issued an official statement clearing Northern Samar
Governor Jose Ong Jr, former Rep. Emil Ong, and incumbent Rep. Edwin Ong as
protectors of drug traders.
On Aug. 7, President Rodrigo Duterte named former Laoang
town Mayor Madeliene Ong and husband Mayor Hector Ong as among the
narco-politicians in the country.
“This appears to be part of the Ongs’ well-funded media
campaign since June to cover up their criminal activities, in light of the
long-running exposes by NDF-EV and the Duterte regime’s own anti-drugs
campaign,” the rebels added.
The Ongs denied their involvement in illegal drugs and
express willingness to be investigated to clear their names.
The spokesperson called on the Duterte government to go
after protectors of drug lords instead of tolerating a war against the poor by
killing street level pushers.
“So long as big drug lords are treated leniently while drug
victims who are poor are harshly treated and murdered, Duterte’s so-called war
on drugs will never end and the poor will never be uplifted, especially without
any peace talks to discuss socio-economic reforms.”
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=913796
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