Plagata on exclusion from Icadac: It's okay
Sangguniang Panlungsod committee on police matters chair City Councilor Erwin Plagata accepts his not being included in the reactivated Iloilo City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Icadac).
He even said that if he was invited to become part of the council he would have declined out of "delicadeza" because of the stories linking him to a big time drug lord in the city.
Plagata yesterday confirmed to The News Today (TNT) that he was not invited by Mayor Jerry Treñas to become a member of Icadac.
Only Vice Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and ex-officio SP members Irene Ong, representing the barangay captains, and John Melchor Mabilog, representing the Sangguniang Kabataan chairmen, were named representatives of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in the council.
Plagata surmised that his alleged link to one of the suspected drug lords in the city, whom he confirms as his godson in a wedding, has something to do with his non-inclusion in the Icadac. He also suspects that there are some people in the council who are not comfortable working with him.
He added that it is the prerogative of the chief executive to create such council in combating the illegal drugs problem.
He however said he is willing to help Icadac should they ask for his intercession for the passage of legislative measures relative to the anti-drugs campaign.
Also comprising the Icadac are Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency's Paul Ledesma as executive director while the current PDEA Regional Director Roybel Sanchez sits only as a member.
The other members of the council are DILG city director Helen Mestidio as head of secretariat, ICPO director Senior Supt. Wesley Barayuga, all current city precinct commanders, city schools Supt. Erlinda Gencaya, University of San Agustin vice president Jigger Latoza, City Information Officer Amante Espejo and CSWDO head Clarita Dignadice.