THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Monday divulged the names of barangay officials linked to illegal drug trade, saying 293 officials were originally in the initial list but 86 of them had died or were arrested.
PDEA Chief Aaron Aquino said the number went down to 207, but they were holding 93 more names of officials they believed to be linked to the narcotics trade, and those had higher positions.
“We have 93 from vice mayor up. Vice mayor, mayor, congressman, governor, vice governor. I have 93 on the narco-list, more on the PDEA’s list,” Aquino told reporters.
In other developments:
• Malacañang defended PDEA’s move to release the list of barangay officials allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the list was “released to help guide voters to choose wisely.”
Roque had earlier asked the public not to vote for those included in the narco-list.
• The Interior department on Monday sued officials from five barangays in Manila for their alleged failure to create barangay anti-drug abuse councils.
The agency said the village chairmen will face administrative charges for dereliction of duty.
• The Commission on Human Rights on Monday said releasing names was a short-term and dangerous solution to the drug menace after PDEA released its list of village officials allegedly involved in the drug trade.
Aquino gave the assurance the list will not be used as a hit list against the barangay officials, and of whom 90 were barangay chairmen and 117 were barangay councilors.
The release of the list of narco-politicians was a marching order of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The most number recorded was in Region 5, followed by the Cordillera Autonomous Region with 34 and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with 13.
“We have validated the names of those in the list,” Aquino said.
In Metro Manila, councilors Noemi Agcaoili of Quezon City’s Barangay Bagong Lipunan, and Maricel Padpad and Guia Guibone of Manila’s Barangay 780 and Barangay 314, respectively, were included on the drug list.
PDEA is still validating the drug involvement of some 274 other barangay officials.
“Once the validation is completed, PDEA will also be revealing the names of these officials,” Aquino said.
He said 93 more names of officials with higher positions could be linked to the drug trade.
“We have 93 from vice mayor up. Vice mayor, mayor, congressman, governor, vice governor. I have 93 on the narco-list, more on the PDEA’s list,” Aquino said.