ILOILO – “Now I can live a normal life once again.”
This was the first reaction of Vice Mayor Francis Amboy of Maasin, Iloilo upon learning that he was not named in the narco-list that President Rodrigo Duterte made public on March 14.
“I’m happy kay naathagan na,” Amboy told Panay News.
Amboy was in the narco-list that the President announced in August 2016.
According to the vice mayor, he was now relieved. He was never involved in illegal drugs either as user, pusher or protector, he stressed.
“The good regard of the people toward me has now returned,” said Amboy, “kay siempre indi lahug-lahug nga reaksyon when I was accused of involvement in illegal drugs.”
The dragging of his name to illegal drugs was the biggest problem that ever hit him and his family, Amboy lamented.
“Daw ma-give up ko that time. It was a matter of life and death. Ang kang una to grabe gid,” he said.
But Amboy said he never lost hope of being cleared; he believed that the truth would eventually set him free.
Amboy also expressed confidence that Mayor Mariano Malones would soon be cleared, too.
Malones was in the August 2016 and this latest narco-list that Duterte announced.
According to Amboy, Malones was never involved in illegal drugs.
Though political adversaries, the vice mayor said, “I’m willing to help nga mag-attest nga wala sia involvement.”
Malones has denied being a drug protector, user or pusher.
He also welcomed the Ombudsman charges of grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, conduct unbecoming of a public officer, and gross neglect of duty – offshoots of the drug allegation against him – as an opportunity to clear himself.
“Kon waay ebidensya, i-dismiss ina sang Ombudsman. So ako very positive nga indi ko involved. I’m not guilty,” said Malones./PN
