8 Maguindanao mayors yield to PNP, deny drug links
Breaking News • 04:25 AM Mon Aug 8, 2016
2,103
By:
Ferdinandh Cabrera
Mayor Vicman Montawal (in red) of Datu Montawal, Maguindanao and his father, Vice Mayor Otto Motnawal (center) appeared before Senior Supt. Nickson Muksan, Maguindanao PNP chief, on Sunday, August 7, 2016 (FC)
SHARIFF AGUAK,
Maguindanao – Fearing for their lives and to
prove they were clean, eight local officials of Maguindanao named by President
Duterte to be engaged in narco-politics surrendered to police authorities
Sunday.
All of them denied the charges and submitted themselves for
investigation,” Senior Supt. Nickson Muksan, Maguindanao police provincial
director said.The mayors and vice mayors, minus their police and Army
escorts, arrived at the police provincial office here starting at 8 a.m.
Those who appeared before Muksan were Mayor Rasul Sangki of
Ampatuan town Mayor Montaser Sabal of Talitay Mayor Vicman Montawal of Datu
Montawal town Mayor Samsudin Dimaukom of Datu Saudi Ampatuan Mayor Norodin
Salasal of Datu Salibo town Vice Mayor Abdulwahab Sabal of Talitay, Vice Mayor
Otto Montawal of Datu Montawal town and Vice Mayor Anida Dimaukom of Datu Saudi
Ampatuan.
Vice Mayor Abdulwahab is the younger brother of Mayor Sabal while Vice Mayor Otto is the father of Mayor Montawal
and Vice Mayor Anida is the wife of Mayor Dimaukom. I am denying I and my son was involved in illegal drugs or
any illegal activity in the province, we could be victims of misinformation,”
Vice Mayor Montawal said.
We came over because we are innocent of the charges, I and
my vice mayor wife are ready to face any investigation because we wanted to
clear our names,” Mayor Dimaukom said.
Mayor Sangki earlier voluntarily surrendered to Chief Supt.
Agripino Javier, police director in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM) on Thursday to clear his name.Mayor Sabal who repeatedly denied the charges in several
media interviews said he was reluctant to appear before Camp Crame on Monday.
Muksan said all of the local officials agreed to proceed to
Manila on Monday and appear before Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa. By 8 a.m. they should be all in Camp Crame,” Muksan said,
adding that they will have no police escorts.
The local officials submitted sworn statements and submit
themselves for mug shots for PNP documentation. (Ferdinandh Cabrera)