OZAMIZ CITY — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Wednesday, November 28, spearheaded the time capsule laying for the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the New Passenger Terminal in line with the Ozamiz Airport Modernization Project.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive narrated that this project evidently shows the government’s commitment to developing the nation.
“When I was elected for a position in the national government, I told the DPWH and everyone to divide the money equally across the whole Philippines — just stick to the plan to fast-track the development,” the President said in Cebuano.
He then expressed his awareness of the public’s concern that as soon he becomes the President, all the development projects’ budget will only be devoted to Davao City, where he became a mayor for 23 years. On the contrary, his mandate to his cabinet officials was to “prioritize other places,” instead of his city.
The goal of modernizing the Ozamiz City’s airport is to upgrade it into an international airport in order to beef up the tourism development in the area.
The allocated funds for the airport site development program includes the new apron and fence, the construction of a new passenger terminal building, improvement of the runway airstrip, expansion and asphalt overlaying of the runway. The entire cost of this airport modernization project amounts to almost P1 billion, and funded under the General Appropriations Act and implemented under President Duterte’s Build, Build, Build Program.
During the event, the President was accompanied by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Datu Abdul Khayr Alonto, 1st District of Misamis Occidental Representative George Almonte, 2nd District of Misamis Occidental Representative Henry Oaminal, Misamis Occidental Governor Herminia Ramiro, Ozamiz City Mayor Irene Luansing, and CAAP Director-General Jim Sydiongco.
President Duterte to Parojinogs: “I will wipe you from the face of the Earth”
Meanwhile, during his speech President Duterte slammed the Parojinogs, a local political clan in Ozamiz City which allegedly are engaged in the illegal drug trade. He then warned the residents of Ozamiz not to be fooled by the Parojinogs again.
“This is how it is. My Filipino brothers and sisters, don’t be fooled by them! You will be making a mistake! Your bad boys who are just like your mayor who — kung wala na he’d kill his own police. There was a maid here whom we sent on an assignment, but you buried her. We still haven’t found her body,” he said.
“For matters like that, you use the platform of being a mayor. And if you tinker with drugs, you will really die. You are up against the Republic. Don’t believe for a second that you are the only one who has the audacity of an evil person. You know that is evil,” he added.
President Duterte also warned the local political family to “stop threatening people.”
“I will wipe you from the face of the Earth. I’m telling you. I will really finish all of you including the police. You better watch out… Don’t try to scare me with that foolishness,” President Duterte said on the Parojinogs.
“An evil mayor or counselor or siblings can think of doing 10 evil things, I can do it better 50 times than you can. Don’t scare people or else I’ll finish you all, if I get fed up with all of these,” he continued.
Last year, the Parojinogs’ compound was raided by the anti-narcotics police due to drug allegations. Police Superintendent Jovie Espenido outlined the crackdown.
Espenido is currently assigned in Eastern Visayas. But, the President in the middle of his remarks called Philippine National Police Chief Director-General Oscar Albayalde to reassign Espenido back to Ozamiz City with a directive to “scrape this place clean” of drugs. ###PND
