TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines-Cagayan Third District Representative Randy Ting challenged those behind the anonymous letter implicating their family to alleged drug dealers to prove their allegations.
In his interview with local news television, Ting said he is open for investigations and lifestyle check to prove that he has no connections to illegal drug trade.
The lawmaker was referring to copies of the letter addressed to President Rodrigo Duterte and were distributed to department heads during the management committee meeting of Governor Manuel Mamba on November 16.
The letter reportedly linked Ting and his sister Maila Ting-Que as having ties with government contractors who are allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.
But Ting said he is not aware of any drug connection of the contractors.
“Kaya nga sinasabi ko nga sa lahat, magkaroon na lang ng imbestigasyon at sabihin sa akin harap-harapan, na itong mga taong sinasabi nila ay involved, ako na mismo ang magpapalayas sa kanila dito sa third district ng Cagayan,” Ting said.
“Hindi ako papayag na ‘yung taong mga may involvement sa mga masasamang gawain eh tatabi sa akin, o gagawa o makikinabang sa gobyerno,” he added.
Ting also said he already called the regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to conduct an investigation to find if the drug allegations against the contractors are true.
He said he is “proud” to say that none of his immediate family member is using nor involved in selling illegal drugs.
“At unang una, siguro kami na tumawag na rin ako sa PDEA, sa regional director, na mag-conduct na lang ng imbestigasyon nang sa ganon ay malaman na lang natin ang katotohanan,” he said.
He added that one of the persons mentioned in the letter was not included in the list of alleged big-time narco-politicians released by the Duterte administration at the height of Project Tokhang.
‘Out to destroy us’
Ting said the “propaganda” was released to destroy their name.
“Very obvious naman na meron lang nai-insecure sa mga nakikita nilang mga nagagawa natin para sa mga kabutihan ng ating mga kababayan,” he said.
He challenged his detractors to come out and do not cover under the “cowardice of anonymity.”
Believing that the allegations are “politically-motivated,” Ting said his detractors might be afraid he will run for higher position in the 2019 elections.
Ting was a former mayor in Tuguegarao City and now on his last term as congressman.
“Inggit na inggit siguro sila dahil akala nila siguro tatakbo ako sa ganitong puwesto, sa ganyang puwesto, dahil may naiuwi tayong biyaya para makatulong sa ating probinsiya. Siguro ito ‘yung ugat niyan kaya sila ngayon nag-iisip ng paninira para sa ganun eh kung anuman ang akala nilang tatakbuhan ko eh sinisiraan na ako,” Ting said.
“‘Yung mga ibang tao diyan na naninira at tingin nila, ang linis linis nila, eh sana mag-salamin muna sila. At tingnan nila kung sinu-sino yung mga nasa tabi nila,” he added. Northernforum.net
