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Drugs in Paradise? El Nido Mayor included in narco-list belies coddling drug peddlers

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/news/03/15/20190315-el-nido-mayor-nieves-rosento-2.jpg"/></figure></div><p>MANILA - The mayor of tourist paradise El Nido, Palawan belied accusations that she is a drug protector, a day after her name was included in a list of alleged narcopoliticians.</p><p>President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s narco-list, released 2 months before the midterm elections, contained 46 officials including El Nido town Mayor Nieves Rosento.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1388907" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>&quot;Dinedeny po natin talaga ito. Wala po talaga tayong involvement sa ganitong gawain dito sa bayan ng El Nido,&quot; Rosento said in an interview on DZMM&#x27;s Kabayan.</p><p>(We deny this claim. We are not involved in this kinds of dealings in El Nido.)</p><p>&quot;Tayo ay nabubuhay bilang isang simpleng nanay, isang ina... Sana mabigyan kami ng pagkakataon para madepensahan naman namin ang sarili namin,&quot; she said.</p><p>(I am just a simple mother... I hope we will be given a chance to defend ourselves.)</p><p>The mayor said narcotics seized during anti-crime operations in El Nido come from outside sources and are brought in by some tourists. She said she has been very supportive of the President&#x27;s anti-narcotics drive. </p><p>&quot;[But] We have 45 islands. Ang El Nido ay isang tourism destination. Maliwanag na maraming dumadating from outside,&quot; she said. </p><p>(We have 45 islands. El Nido is a tourism destination. It is clear that many outsiders come here.)</p><p>Rosento, a reelectionist candidate in El Nido&#x27;s mayoralty race, was a member of Duterte&#x27;s PDP-Laban in 2016. She shifted to the Nationalist People&#x27;s Coalition for this year&#x27;s election after the ruling party declined to endorse her mayoralty bid.</p><p>She made headlines last year after Tourism Sec. Berna Romulo Puyat was irked by her supposed inaction on the clean-up of one of the country&#x27;s top island destinations.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/30/18/pakitang-tao-puyat-slams-el-nido-mayor-for-inconsistent-policy-implementation">&#x27;Pakitang-tao&#x27;: Puyat slams El Nido mayor for inconsistent policy implementation</a></li></ul>

<p>The mayor of tourist paradise El Nido, Palawan belied accusations that she is a drug protector, Friday a day after her name was included in a list of alleged narcopoliticians.</p>

The mayor of tourist paradise El Nido, Palawan belied accusations that she is a drug protector, Friday a day after her name was included in a list of alleged narcopoliticians.