Roxas: Western Visayas residents would never believe such allegations 

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary and 2016 Liberal Party (LP) presidential candidate Manuel ‘Mar’ Roxas laughed off allegations by former Berya drug group member Ricky Serenio linking him to the illegal drug trade in Negros Occidental.

Based on reports by Bombo Radyo and Aksyon Radyo-Bacolod over the weekend, Roxas called the allegations a ploy by a certain individual in the province who is “desperately” seeking the attention of President Rodrigo Duterte, who was in Bacolod City yesterday for the close of the MassKara Festival.

Roxas said he does not know Serenio and never conducted any transactions with him.

He also stated, in all the years of working in the public service, his name was never connected with illegal drugs.

Roxas added, despite the allegations, he is still positive the residents of Western Visayas would never believe the accusations.

Last Wednesday, Serenio forwarded a copy of an affidavit, where he referred to Roxas, Senator Franklin Drilon, and Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog as protectors of slain drug lord Melvin Odicta, Sr.

Serenio claimed, in 2015, he met with Odicta, who discussed the “flourishing” illegal drug market in the then-Negros Island Region (NIR) and claimed Roxas and Drilon pushed for Odicta to expand into the neighboring island, with Mabilog as a supporting partner.

Serenio was arrested earlier this year by members of the now-defunct Police Regional Office-18 (PRO-18) after he was tracked down in Talisay City, Negros Occidental.

Serenio later submitted affidavits and provided intelligence into the Negros Occidental drug trade, including links between several high-ranking police officers and the Berya-Camaria drug group./DGB, WDJ