Julio Diaz lands on drug list, insists he’s clean

Ailing actor Julio Diaz on Thursday said he was asked to report to a local police station after being included in a drug watch list compiled by a village in Meycauayan City, Bulacan province.

Diaz, who is being treated for a brain aneurysm and hypertension, said he met with Meycauayan police officials on Monday to clear his name and not to surrender.

Diaz, 57, had complained to Supt. Lailene Amparo, Meycauayan police chief, about being included in the watch list of Barangay Langka, arguing that he had been confined in a hospital since April. Because he had been under strict hospital care, the actor said he would not have taken any form of illegal drugs.

In a series of text messages on Thursday, Diaz said a village letter was delivered to his home in Langka two weeks ago urging him to surrender to the police.

Amparo confirmed that a notice had been sent to Diaz but said the actor may have been included in the list because of “outdated information.” He said Diaz would not be automatically removed as a drug user.

“People on that list need to prove they are not users or dealers. They would need to be monitored to prove they have not used illegal drugs. This must be done for the benefit of the public,” she said. “In the case of Diaz, however, we will give him a chance to prove otherwise. He has a right to clear his name.” Carmela Reyes-Estrope, Inquirer Central Luzon