Negros Top Drug Lord Tags Roxas, Drilon, Mabilog As Drug Protectors In Western Visayas

A top drug suspect in the Visayas has named Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas as protectors of notorious drug lord Melvin Odicta Sr., who reportedly controlled the narcotics trade in Iloilo City.

In his affidavit, parts of which were posted by Aksyon Radyo Iloilo on its Facebook page, Ricky Serenio accused Drilon and Roxas of having a plan to control “the illegal drug business in the Western Visayas-Panay/Negros.”

Serenio said the two politicians partnered with Odicta to take over the drug trade in Negros “by kicking out Berya Tolentino and Camaria from their dominance as local drug suppliers.”

“Being in power with close association to the PNP, it was easy for the Roxas-Drilon tandem to paralyze, and eventually overthrow the Berya-Camaria drug operations and wipe out these groups from operating in the Negros Island,” he said.

With the ouster of the Berya-Camaria duo, Serenio said Drilon and Roxas could “turn over” the drug operations in the region to Odicta.

“Indeed, the Negros market is bigger than in Panay or Iloilo, as confirmed in the declaration of President Rodrigo Duterte that the NIR is No. 3 as the most drug affected in the country,” he said.

Serenio executed the affidavit on October 18 at La Carlota City, Negros Occidental.

It was Roxas who reportedly pushed former President Benigno Aquino III to sign Executive Order 183 creating the Negros Island Region, supposedly to boost economic growth and development in Negros Occidental and Oriental.

President Duterte, however, issued an EO last August dissolving the NIR.

Odicta and his wife Meriam were shot dead by unidentified assailants on August 29 upon their arrival at the Caticlan Jetty Port in Aklan.

In addition to being the protector of Odicta, Serenio claimed Drilon and Roxas are also patrons of Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, who in turn also reportedly covered the late drug lord’s tracks.

“Mayor Mabilog is the indefatigable protector/strong supporter of the former druglord Melvin Odicta Sr…,” he said.

President Duterte has accused Mabilog of protecting drug lords, a charge which the mayor has denied.

Mabilog has yet to return to the country after supposedly seeking medical treatment abroad.

His wife and children have also left the Philippines for “security” reasons.

Source: Aksyon Radyo