BACOLOD CITY – Controversial Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido said here on Wednesday that politicians may be behind the inclusion of his name in the narco-list.
Espenido held a press briefing at Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), where he was assigned as deputy city director for operations and head of City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) before he was relieved from his post to Camp Crame on February 5.
Espenido said he cannot really pinpoint who’s after him but he claimed that he might be a big threat to these people that’s why they are running after him.
“This is one thing I can tell you, mga tao hindi siguro inggit, kasi hindi naman ako pogi. Greedy, a greedy kind of person, number one mga politicans talaga. Mga nabangga natin sa trabaho. Sorry, I am not judgmental because I am not God. Pero iyon lang siguro ang paniniwala ko,” he said.
He, however, refused to tell if it’s from the local or national level or if they were also involve in illegal drugs.
“Tao lang sila. It can hurt. Siguro kung hindi guilty dapat tigilan na ang pag-accuse sa akin. If you’re not guilty for what I have done, sa war against drugs, why are you running after me? Why do you accuse me? Pakita lang na guilty kayo. Character assassination ito for me. If hindi kayo guilty, relax pero sa nangyayari nagpapakita kasi na guilty. Big threat ako,” he added.
Espenido, tagged as poster boy of the government anti-illegal drug campaign, believed that he could have been included in the list because he previously identified some government officials and law enforcers allegedly engaging in illegal drug trade.
He believed that his first inclusion in the narco-list in 2016 was because of his record in the drug war even before the stint of President Rodrigo Duterte. He said he was cleared the following year until his name was again recently tagged in the drugs list, with 356 other police officers nationwide.
He believed that it is still the same list.
Speaking of consequences, he said tagging him in the drugs list has effect on some policemen who are doing good in the service.
He said that “whether we do good or bad there is a consequence even done in secret.” (Glazyl Masculino)