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Maguindanao village exec nabbed for selling quarantine passes

By Edwin Fernandez

March 25, 2020, 9:41 pm

<p><strong>STERN WARNING.</strong> Mayor Shameem Mastura (holding microphone) of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, speaks to the town’s village officials on Wednesday (March 25) telling them the home quarantine pass to be given to their constituents should be free of charge and not for sale. He warned that village officials or anyone violating the policy will be dealt with accordingly. <em>(Photo courtesy of Sultan Kudarat MIO)</em></p>

STERN WARNING. Mayor Shameem Mastura (holding microphone) of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, speaks to the town’s village officials on Wednesday (March 25) telling them the home quarantine pass to be given to their constituents should be free of charge and not for sale. He warned that village officials or anyone violating the policy will be dealt with accordingly. (Photo courtesy of Sultan Kudarat MIO)

COTABATO CITY – Police and military personnel on Tuesday arrested a village chairman in the Maguindanao town of Sultan Kudarat town for selling home quarantine passes to his constituents.

Sultan Kudarat town Mayor Shameem Mastura said he directed a team of police and military personnel to arrest Nasser Esmail, chairman of Barangay Mulaug, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao for the alleged misuse of the free quarantine passes.

Mastura said he received complaints from residents of Barangay Malaug against Esmail for selling quarantine passes to his constituents at PHP50 each.

After the complaint and information were validated and counter-checked, the operation was launched on Tuesday night that led to the arrest of Esmail.

Esmail denied the charges but Mastura said there were pieces of evidence that will be used to prosecute him.

“I can hardly believe that we have an elected official taking advantage over his own people in the face of a national health crisis,” Mastura told reporters in an interview Wednesday.

Esmail is now detained at the custodial facility of the Sultan Kudarat police office while charges are being prepared against him.

Esmail was the second village chair in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to be arrested for selling home quarantine passes to his constituents.

On Monday, police also arrested village chairperson Cassar Abinal of Mantapoli, Marantao, Lanao del Sur for the same offense. (PNA)

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