Incumbent Malabon City Mayor Antolin “Lenlen” Oreta III on Wednesday, April 3, said his city has been fighting illegal drugs even before President Rodrigo Duterte started his anti-illegal drug campaign in the country.
“Bago pa man magdeklara ang Pangulo ng kampanya kontra droga, pinaigting na natin sa lungsod ng Malabon ang ating mga programa para masigurong malinis, ligtas, at maayos ang Malabon (Even before the President declared the war on drugs, we already intensified our programs in the city of Malabon to ensure that the city is clean, safe, and well-regulated),” Oreta said in a statement posted on his Facebook page.
Citing data from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the lead anti-drug law enforcement agency, Oreta said the number of barangays in the city declared as drug-free went up to nine in February.
“Ibig sabihin ay 40% ng lahat ng barangay sa Malabon ang drug-cleared na, isa sa pinakamataas sa Metro Manila (This means that 40 percent of all barangays in Malabon have already been declared drug-cleared, the highest figure in Metro Manila),” he noted.
The mayor even added that Malabon City received a silver award for Anti-drug Abuse Functionality Audit for its ‘effective’ anti-illegal drug campaign.
He issued this statement after the President told him that he would have the mayor arrested if the latter was not able to rid Malabon City of illegal drugs within a month.
“Ganito ang Malabon ngayon, it’s your choice. Pinili ninyo eh. Droga, pinili ninyo (This is Malabon now. It is your choice. You chose drugs),” he said during the campaign rally of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban) in Barangay Potrero, Malabon City.
Duterte also said he will order the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to arrest armed goons in the city.
Oreta is seeking reelection in May 2019 polls under Liberal Party (LP). He is running against Vice Mayor Jeannie Sandoval who was endorsed by Duterte.