BUTUAN
CITY: City Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr. admitted that one of those arrested in a
recent illegal drugs raid, as reported by the Philippine Preview the other day,
is his first cousin.
Amante
is currently the chairperson of the Caraga Regional Peace and Order Council.
In
an interview with radio DxBC here, Amante claimed Tristan Bual Amante as his first
cousin as he assured the public he will not exercise his influence to those handling
his cousin’s drug case.
Mayor
Amante is also the first cousin of Agusan del Norte 2nd District Rep.
Erlpe John Amante.
There
are so many ruling Amantes in Agusan del Norte for more than 50 years now after
defeating the Plaza political clan.
The
Agusan Norte lawmaker remains silent as of press time over the arrest of Tristan.
PDEA-Caraga
regional director Erwin Ogario said Tristan, a city hall employee, was arrested
with two other employees having a shabu session in a house-turned-drug-den last
Thursday.
Ogario
identified the other two as Eduardo Mercado, an accounting officer, and Liga ng
mga Barangay office worker Mirochel Jovita Valenzuna.
Residents
lamented at the worsening illegal drug woes in the city, pointing at the
inability of local officials and police authorities to curb the problem, describing
it as “alarming” and “a disaster in waiting.”