Tom wants Oaminal to be anti-drugs czar of the city

CEBU, Philippines - After Mayor Tomas Osmeña learned that President Arroyo kicked out Clarence Paul Oaminal as vice chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), he quickly offered the Cebuano lawyer to be the city’s anti-drugs czar as head of the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention.

Osmeña tasked Councilor Augustus Pe, Jr., chairman of the City Council’s committee on peace and order, to immediately contact Oaminal to relay his message to him.

“We want to take advantage of the situation. We will improve our anti-drugs program with Oaminal,” the mayor said during his press conference at the City Hall yesterday.

But, although he was happy and flattered by the mayor’s offer for him to head the Cosap, Oaminal explained that he could not accept the offer yet, because he is now actively campaigning for the reelection bid of Pe, because he observed that the latter is also serious in the drive against illegal drugs.

“I am very flattered that the outstanding mayor offered me the position as the city’s anti-drugs czar but maybe I will accept it after the elections as right now I am busy campaigning for Councilor Pe, mayor Osmeña and senatorial candidate Tito Sotto,” Oaminal said.

In an interview last Friday, Osmeña said he is looking for a person like the late Oscar Mabilog, who is really serious in the campaign against illegal drugs.

The mayor said once Oaminal will accept his offer to head Cosap, he will instruct the police to coordinate with Oaminal in the strict implementation of policies to minimize the drug problems in the city.

Oaminal, meanwhile, said even if he is no longer the vice chairman of DDB, he will continue his cause to help the government in the fight against illegal drug personalities who are believed to be the ones behind his ouster.

Oaminal said he will establish linkages with the international agencies that are involved in the fight against illegal drugs.

“Mosuwat ko sa mga international agencies nga tabangan ko sa kampanya,” Oaminal said over radio station dyLA.

He is also working to be redesignated as the official representative of the House committee on dangerous drugs, a position he held prior to his appointment as undersecretary of the DDB in 2008.

Oaminal said he will meet with the chairman of the committee, Rep. Roque Ablan and the vice chairman Antonio Cuenco of the Cebu City South District to formally express his intention to get back his old position.

 He believes that his active campaign against illegal drugs has something to do with his unceremonious ouster from the DDB.

Oaminal admitted that he already has a suspect on who could be behind his ouster.

He however refused to give names but according to him the person is very close to the president and could be protecting the people behind the illegal drug trade especially in the proliferation of cocaine in the country.

Oaminal said that he strongly believes that what happened to him has something to do with the confiscation of the several kilos of cocaine.

For his part, Cebu City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador said that despite Oaminal’s exit, the system in the fight against drugs is still in place.

He also said that Oaminal is a very enthusiastic anti-drug crusader.— Niña  Sumacot/NLQ   (FREEMAN NEWS)