Extortion angle eyed in war on drugs

Even as a Northern Samar congressman accused of involvement in the illegal drug trade denied the accusation, a transparency watchdog also warned that President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs might be used by “interest groups” to get back at their political foes.

Rep. Edwin Ong of the 2nd District of Northern Samar, who was linked by communist rebels to drug trafficking along with his uncle, Northern Samar Gov. Jose Ong, on Sunday strongly denied the accusation, calling it “baseless, unfounded and simply meant to destroy our good name and unblemished reputation in the province.”