Drug watchlist bared
90 village chiefs named in PDEA’s drug watchlist
MANILA -- Ninety barangay (village) captains have been named in a drug watchlist that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) released Monday morning, April 30.
The list contains a total of 207 names, which were validated by four law enforcement units, said PDEA Director Aaron Aquino.
Charges would be filed against those on the list, he added.
“It (charges) will be filed in due time. We are just having continuous case build-up. Maybe a week or two, may mauumpisahan na kami mafile-an sa (we will be able to file something to the) Ombudsman also in the court,” he said.
The highest number of alleged drug personalities among barangay officials is in Bicol Region, with 70, followed by Cordillera with 34 and Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao, 13.
Three village chairmen in Central Visayas, particularly from Cebu City, were also on the list. Western Visayas and Davao Region have one each, while Northern Mindanao, particularly Ozamiz City, has three officials on the list. Central Luzon also has three.
Aquino said some of the persons on the list were users, pushers and even drug lord, but majority were protectors of illegal drug trade and drug lords.
He said the list originally contains 293 names of barangay officials, but 46 were already arrested, 20 were killed either by riding in tandem or homiKORONADAL cide, five were shot dead during police operations, and five others died of natural death.
Aquino said the list is not a “hit list,” noting that it was released for the electorates to know who to vote for in the upcoming May 14 elections.
“There is no truth to that (hit list). Public office is public thrust, every residence of the barangay meron s’yang karapatan para malaman kung anong ginagawa ng isang (have the right to know what the) public officials, particularly barangay captain, (are doing),” he said.
Aquino also advised barangay officials who are not on the list not to rejoice yet, because they might be among the subjects who are still under validation.
Aquino reiterated the need to activate the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (Badac) and for cooperation from local officials to attain a drugcleared Philippines.
“Yung drug-free Philippines, hindi na natin makukuha yun (We can no longer attain a drugfree Philippines). We are now aiming for a drugcleared Philippines,” he said.
Local Government Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Año, for his part, urged the public to help the government by testifying and informing them about the officials’ illegal drugs transaction, so that the government can build up an airtight case against the officials.
Año said they will furnish the Commission on Elections, as well as the regional and local Department of Interior and Local Government offices a copy of the list, so they can identify who on the list are running for a local position.
But he said being on the list may not be enough for a candidate’s disqualification from the upcoming elections.
President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered the release of the list of barangay officials suspected of involvement in or protecting the narcotics trade ahead of the May 14 synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.