RIC CLET
Online news contributor
MARAWI CITY: Mayor Sultan Fahad “Pre” Panarigan Umpar Salic is bent on running after shabu lords and their minions, as he warned them to bring their illegal trade somewhere or face the full force of the law.
This was how stern his warning was when he met with members of the media recently; saying that under his administration Marawi will be a drug-free city.
Salic has identified to the media his area of concentration for future busts, saying he will go after residents at the public market, particularly those at the lumber area.
“I was told that people involved in this trade were not operating here anymore but in some towns of Lanao del Sur,” he said, “But I want to make sure.”
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Salic even boasted that in the past few weeks, no crime was reported and this, he attributed to the cooperation of residents in their want of peaceful place.
Meanwhile, the newly-elected mayor has the full support of the police and the military in his campaign against drug lords as the heads of these agencies have jointly pledged their support.
In a courtesy call made recently by Lt. Col. Florante Martinez, battalion commander of the 261st Infantry Battalion of the 402nd infantry, he said expressed their commitment to provide their security assistance and unconditional support to the mayor.
Salic said that aside from drugs, he will see to it the continuation of the development plans and projects implemented by then Mayor Omar Solitario Ali, his older brother.
City police chief P/Supt Paitao likewise told newsmen that the peace and order situation in the city will continue and that he will mobilize his men to continue with their visibility patrols.
Paitao said that for now they will see to it that the bad traffic condition in the city will be given solution, as he said drivers parking their vehicles in wrong lanes have created problems to motorists and pedestrians.
He added that the mayor is dealing with this problem and will impose penalties to violators.
“The directive is very clear that authorities will remove the plate numbers of the vehicles and confiscate their driver’s licenses and they will have to retrieve these from the city mayor’s office,” Paitao added.