PDEA counts at least 100 celebrities on illegal drug list

The chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said there may be more than 100 celebrities with illegal drug links based on the combined roster of the police and the military but clarified the list is still up for further validation.

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino also noted that the 11 actresses involved in illegal drugs are included in the PDEA’s list of 31 celebrities.

However, Aquino refused to release to the public the names of the said celebrities on PDEA’s list until such time the reports have been verified and fully validated.

Aquino said a majority of the celebrities are in their 20s and 30s with most of them active in the showbiz industry.

Saying only three of the actresses are elderly, Aquino noted that two have been initially identified as drug pushers or those selling shabu and other party drugs like ecstasy to their clients mostly from the movie industry.

But Aquino revealed the identities of the showbiz people being probed will eventually be made public in the event of their arrest and charged in court.

PDEA spokesman Derrick Arnold Carreon said they are public figures as they are looked up to and serve as models of the youth but their illegal drug links compel PDEA to arrest them stressing they differ from public officials under the same category.

Further stressing his point, Carreon clarified the said celebrities are not similar to the “narco politicians’’ tagged and announced by President Duterte as illegal drug personalities.

Carreon explained the “alleged narco-politicians are seeking public office and are courting the people for votes.’’

The PDEA spokesman emphasized that this means their inclusion in the drug list “is imbued with public interest.”

He added showbiz personalities may be public figures but are not seeking elective positions.

Explaining further, Carreon said that PDEA needs to arrest these celebrities involved in illegal drugs as they are idolized by millions and seen on television almost daily.

Carreon noted the names of the 31 celebrities on PDEA’s watch-list may still change with the stringent validation being conducted by the agency.