00:00During the past few weeks, I was informed that I would be able to speak as a resource person on behalf of the Quad Committee.
00:13And I would like to take this opportunity to thank each one of you for allowing me to speak. Thank you very much.
00:21When I heard the news, I thought to myself,
00:25this is probably the right time for me to be able to express my feelings and speak the truth,
00:34even though I am still afraid and worried about my life.
00:41First of all, I declare that I was not and never will be a drug protector.
00:49I don't know personally nor did I benefit in any way from any illegal drug personality in Iloilo or anywhere else.
01:02After seven years of exile,
01:06dahil sa na politika at walang basihang mga akusasyon,
01:10kaliwat ka ng mga paratang at higit sa lahat mga banta sa aking buhay,
01:16at sa buhay ng aking pamilya,
01:18narito po ako ngayon at humaharap po sa inyo.
01:23Naging kabataang baranggay chairman,
01:27number one city councilor,
01:29vice mayor,
01:30at mayor in 2010, 2013, and 2016.
01:35And was fortunate to have been chosen as one,
01:38as the top five world mayor in 2014.
01:43That also included the former president as a nominee.
01:48In the campaign against illegal drugs,
01:51as mayor and as mandated by law,
01:54I am aware of my authority to set local policies and priorities related to crime and drugs.
02:02I'm also aware that under the law,
02:05the PNP and PIDEA handle crime investigation and response
02:10and the combating of drug trafficking and enforcement of drug laws
02:15while the mayor relies on the police and PIDEA to implement them.
02:22And so when I became mayor,
02:24and having made aware that there were existing drug groups in the city,
02:30I immediately initiated anti-illegal drug activities,
02:35campaign and policies among others,
02:38multiple programs,
02:40one of which is to activate the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils.
02:47In 2014, according to PIDEA,
02:51Iloilo City was the first in the country to have 100% of its BADAC activated.
02:59In the six years that I have been mayor of Iloilo City,
03:04Iloilo City consistently received national recognitions from PIDEA
03:09and the PNP in the years 2014, 2015, 2016, and even in 2017
03:18for the comprehensive programs including rehab,
03:21logistical support to the PNP and PIDEA in their drive against illegal drugs.
03:28Since the existence of these drug syndicates in our city was deeply rooted,
03:33I relied on the expertise of the local PNP and regional PIDEA
03:38to deal with these groups while I focused on the socio-economic programs
03:43that would address the root causes of poverty
03:46that expose the vulnerable population to cope against the evils of illegal drugs.
03:53But all of these efforts were ignored by the Duterte administration.
03:59If you can remember,
04:01all of this started suddenly when the names were included in the PRRD Narco list
04:10of the Duterte administration.
04:13A list containing the names of well-known public officials
04:19who were not involved in illegal drugs,
04:23unfounded cases,
04:26and were never proven.
04:30As a matter of fact,
04:32until today,
04:34there are no drug-related cases that have been filed,
04:39especially in the legal courts,
04:41against me and my person.
04:45But if you look closely,
04:48the names of the political opponents were included
04:51in a validated list of drug personalities in the next PRRD list.
04:58Despite the questionable information,
05:02there was no validation or confirmation
05:05made by any government agency in its initiated list.
05:12This PRRD list became a hit list.
05:20In a public forum of PIDEA in 2018,
05:23the Regional Adjudication Committee,
05:27also known as RAC,
05:30said that my name was not included in their list.
05:34While in the Iloilo City Anti-Drug Abuse Council meeting,
05:39PIDEA 6 Regional Director Gil Pabilona
05:44and Iloilo City Police Director Col. Remus Caneso
05:50officially confirmed that my name was not included in the drug list.
05:57But the list of their records remains.
06:02Until now,
06:03all charges and accusations against me
06:08continue to damage my reputation
06:11as well as the reputation of my beloved Iloilo.
06:17Because of the serious threat to my life,
06:20I was forced not to return
06:23from an international speaking engagement in Japan
06:28and to leave my family
06:31the town that we worked so hard to build.
06:36PRRD even assigned Lt. Col. Espinido to Iloilo
06:42and announced without a threat,
06:44with a threat,
06:46mabubuhi pa kaya siya?
06:49Ibig sabihin in Tagalog,
06:51mabubuhay pa kaya siya?
06:54referring to me.
06:56Pinalad po ako na meron akong speaking engagement
07:00sa isang international conference sa Japan
07:03kaya nakaalis ako ng bansa.
07:06Paulit-ulit
07:08ang pagbabanta ni Presidente Duterte sa media
07:12harap-harapang sinasabi
07:15ipapatay daw ako.
07:19So when the government killed him,
07:22we started to dig
07:23and we found the bones of the policeman still in the uniform.
07:28And so we had to take him out.
07:30I said,
07:31go and take him out.
07:35The mayor of Iloilo City,
07:38I identified him.
07:40This is broadcast.
07:44I said, you're next.
07:47You're next.
07:48Saan ang mayor ninyo dito?
07:50Saan ang pinagitan mo?
07:53Mayor, saan ba si mayor?
07:55Hinabi ko sa kanila, umbalik ka dito.
07:59Patayin talaga kita.
08:03Julius Ronald Pacificador,
08:05Humptec Antique,
08:07dead.
08:14At alam po nating lahat,
08:17hindi lamang po ito basta-basta pagbabanta.
08:21Kayang-kaya niya pong totohanin ito.
08:26Labag man sa kalooban,
08:30kinailangan po naming lumisan
08:33at wag na munang bumalik sa Pilipinas.
08:37On August 28, 2017,
08:41I received an unexpected call
08:45from former PNP Regional Director Bernardo Diaz.
08:50He invited me
08:52to meet with PNP Chief Ronald de la Rosa,
08:57now Senator,
08:58at Camp Krame, Quezon City,
09:01at noon the following day.
09:04The next morning, on August 29,
09:07I arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport
09:11at 10 a.m., ready to proceed.
09:14But then the call started.
09:16First, they moved the meeting to 3 p.m.
09:20And then by 5 p.m., it was delayed again,
09:23this time to 6 p.m.
09:32At around 5 p.m.,
09:34a PNP colonel called me in a voice
09:39that sent shivers down my spine.
09:43Literal po yun.
09:45Warned me not to go to Camp Krame
09:48because my life was in danger.
09:51The fear that had been simmering now erupted.
09:55Soon after, at 6.32 p.m.,
09:58my wife, Marivic,
10:01received a chilling text
10:03from a PNP colonel's wife.
10:05Do not proceed.
10:07There are 20 men surrounding your house.
10:11And if you go to Camp Krame,
10:13they will kill you.
10:19The terror was paralyzing.
10:23I couldn't believe it.
10:26My life and my family's life
10:29was hanging by a thread.
10:34The next day, on August 30,
10:37I took the first flight out to Japan,
10:40not knowing if I would ever return.
10:43Upon arrival,
10:45I received a message from General Diaz
10:49to call a number.
10:51Using a public payphone,
10:54I made the call and spoke to General Bateau,
10:57who expressed his sympathy.
11:00He was talking to me in Bisaya.
11:02He told me he knew I was innocent,
11:06that I wasn't involved in illegal drugs,
11:09and he promised to help me.
11:12His words brought a brief moment of hope.
11:17I told him I would finish my work abroad
11:21and return to meet him,
11:23but he urged me to be careful,
11:26repeating his pledge to help.
11:29Just after that call,
11:31my Philippine cell phone rang.
11:34This time, it was another general.
11:38His voice was grim.
11:41Mayor, do not return.
11:44Your life is in danger.
11:47The accusations against you are all fabricated,
11:51but if you go to Crame,
11:53you'll be forced to point fingers
11:56to an opposition senator
11:58and a former presidential candidate
12:01as drug lords.
12:05The weight of the conspiracy against me
12:07was unbearable.
12:10This general couldn't live with the guilt
12:14of seeing me killed, he said,
12:16and warned me to destroy my Philippine SIM card
12:20and phone immediately,
12:23and told me because my phone
12:28is going to be wiretapped.
12:32My hands trembled
12:35as I realized how close death had come.
12:39I knew then that I was no longer just a target.
12:44I was in a battle for my life.
12:51We went straight to the U.S.
12:54and applied for political asylum.
12:58We were fortunate that the U.S.
13:02allowed us to apply for political asylum.
13:20This is proof that there was no reason
13:25for us to be given political asylum in March 2019.
13:34It was painful and sad,
13:36but I was forced to leave
13:39because I swore an oath of allegiance
13:42to my family
13:44and my country Ilonggo.
13:46I swore an oath
13:49not because I committed a crime,
13:52but because our lives are in danger.
14:22I swore an oath of allegiance
14:24not because I committed a crime,
14:26but because our lives are in danger.
14:28I swore an oath of allegiance
14:30not because I committed a crime,
14:32but because our lives are in danger.
14:34I swore an oath of allegiance
14:36not because I committed a crime,
14:38but because our lives are in danger.
14:40I swore an oath of allegiance
14:42not because I committed a crime,
14:44but because our lives are in danger.
14:46I swore an oath of allegiance
14:49should be allowed to wield
14:51such unchecked authority
14:53regardless of their position or power.
14:58The experience of others like me,
15:03especially the mayors who were appointed,
15:08has shown us
15:10the shortcomings and shortcomings
15:13of our law enforcement agencies.
15:17These institutions need to be strengthened
15:21so that they will not simply use
15:24or be influenced by politics.
15:26They should be able to serve with integrity,
15:30without bias,
15:32and with respect for the law.
15:35Our call to you is
15:38for justice to come first
15:41and for reform to take place
15:43in our system,
15:45particularly in the administration
15:47of our law enforcement agencies.
15:51Accusations must be duly validated
15:54and authenticated first
15:56before any public announcement
15:59to avoid shaming and destroying
16:03the honor, reputation, and good image
16:07of hardworking and innocent persons.
16:11Above all,
16:13those who abuse power should be punished.
16:20I hope that the hardships we have experienced
16:25such as oppression, persecution, trauma,
16:34and nothing else
16:37will not be experienced by others.
16:49And the truth will prevail
17:00and not the politics
17:04or personal interests of some.
17:08I'm sorry.
17:11Thank you very much to the Quad Committee
17:16for seven years of hardship.
17:25Thank you very much
17:27for giving us,
17:30me,
17:32and other victims
17:34a chance to clean up
17:38our names
17:41and those I love,
17:44Ilongo and Iloilo,
17:47who were called shabbalized.
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