Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas should go to jail instead of Malacañang for not stopping widespread illegal drugs use and dealing when he was secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Roxas  deserves to “go to jail, not to Malacañang” for inaction on illegal drugs, said Peter Laviña, spokesman of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

The inutiliteness to stop illegal drugs also made Roxas an accomplice and protector of drug lords and drug pushers, Laviña said.

Laviña turned the tables on Roxas as President Benigno Aquino’s candidate said that he knows there are drugs in Davao City and can buy it anytime with media tagging along to prove his point.

Roxas made the claim on Sunday, February 21, in an interview in Cagayan de Oro City after attending Pilipinas Debates 2016.

The camp of Duterte, presidential candidate of the PDP-Laban, saw Roxas’ blast as a criticism of Duterte’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Laviña said since Roxas once headed the DILG, his knowledge of and inaction on the Davao illegal drug trade make him an “accomplice and protector of drug lords and pushers.”

In the Cagayan de Oro City interview, Roxas questioned Duterte’s declaration that he can end criminality, illegal drugs and corruption in three to six months.

Twitting Duterte, Roxas said  Davao City has the fourth highest incidence of crime in the entire country and that there are drugs in Davao.

He said he can buy drugs anytime in Davao `and can bring the media to prove it.

If he knew about drug dealing in Davao City, why did he not do anything about it as then Interior secretary?

“Mar is showing he is not fit to be the leader of our country. He did not only exhibit irresponsible citizenship by not reporting to authorities where drugs are being peddled. He has, in fact, become an accomplice in protecting drug lords and drug pushers,” Laviña said.

Roxas  deserves to “go to jail, not to Malacañang” for not acting  on illegal drugs despite his knowledge as DILG chief who has an administrative power over the police, he said.

“What has he done as secretary of DILG and as chairman of the National Police Commission to fight drug abuse?” Laviña asked.

Laviña questioned Roxas’s track record on curbing illegal drugs adding that the former DILG chief is only tainting the reputation of Duterte and Davao City to make himself appear good.

“He is painting others black so he will look white,” he added.

Earlier, the camp of Duterte, citing intelligence reports, said that Manila anti-drug operatives under the baton of their political patrons would be mounting in Davao City a “raid” on “fake drug laboratories” in a bid to discredit Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.

The planned and orchestrated operation dubbed as “The Great Drug Raid” is being linked by the Duterte camp on political rivals.

The Duterte camp is now in tight watch for the sham raid after Roxas’ recent blast on the anti-drug campaign in Davao City.