“Mabuhay kaya siya?” President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday, referring to Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, as he announced the assignment of Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido to Iloilo City.

READ: Duterte assigns Espenido to Iloilo City — Visayas’ ‘drug bedrock’

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Espenido was the police commander of Albuera, Leyte, when Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. was killed in an alleged shootout inside the subprovincial jail in Baybay City.

Espenido also led the raids on the houses of the Parojinog clan in July that led to the death of Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and 14 others.

“I will ask you again. You asked for the assignment sa Leyte. Namatay ang mayor doon,” Duterte told Espenido in a speech during the National Heroes’ Day Celebration in Taguig City.

“You asked for another assignment sa Ozamiz, namatay ang mayor doon, si Parojinog.”

“Ngayon, gusto mo sa Iloilo, kasi si Mabilog has been identified as a protector mayor. Mabuhay kaya siya? Gusto ko ng tanungin kasi ako naman ang pagbibintangan. Eh ikaw nga nagbaril diyan tapos ako ang napa-publish kung saan-saan eh,” Duterte said.

Mabilog has been included in the drug list of the President for allegedly protecting drug syndicates, an accusation the mayor has repeatedly denied.

Duterte said he asked the question because he might get blamed if anything happened to the mayor.

“Ikaw ang bumaril dyan tapos ako ang napa-publish kung saan-saan,” the President explained.

In an ambush interview, Espenido said his reassignment at Iloilo City was “God’s will.”

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“Alam ko naman na lahat ng gusto ng senior officer ko, lalo na kay Presidente, ay God’s will ‘yan. We will do our best,” he told reporters.

Espenido urged Mabilog to cooperate in the government’s war on drugs. CBB

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