DILG chief seeks disqualification of ‘narcopols’ from 2019 elections

Undersecretary Eduardo Año, DILG officer in charge (File photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Undersecretary Eduardo Año, officer in charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), said he would recommend the disqualification from the 2019 midterm elections of around 600 local officials involved in corruption and illegal drugs.

“I will recommend [the disqualification of] those mayors who have corruption cases,” he told INQUIRER.net on Wednesday.

In a press briefing, Año said that he would do the same to local officials allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade as they might use the drug money to buy votes.

He said, however, that the officials could only be disqualified if the Commission on Elections (Comelec) would approve it.

He said the DILG would consolidate reports to give the Comelec enough information on the local executives allegedly involved in illegal activities, so it could decide whether they should be barred from candidacy. /atm