Andanar backs release of ‘narco-list’ ahead of 2019 polls

FILE- PDEA Dir. Gen. Aaron Aquino shows the Narcolist of Barangay officials at the PDEA Building, Quezon City, Monday.
INQUIRER PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines – Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar on Saturday said he supports the call of Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to release the list of politicians allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade ahead of the 2019 midterm elections.

“Dapat lang ilabas kasi iyon nga iyong number one na kalaban natin ’di ba sa droga at iyon talaga iyong… ang national policy ng Presidente,” Andanar said in an interview over dzBB.

“Palagay ko we deserve leaders na malinis, na walang kinalaman sa droga, kriminalidad o hindi kasama sa kung ano mang kalokohan,” he added.

However, Andanar noted that politicians must be proven to have links to illegal drugs before including them in the “narco-list.”

“Dapat makasuhan muna, kasi lahat naman tayo ay mayroong karapatan ’di ba kahit na iyong taong sabihin mo kriminal siya, he is innocent until proven otherwise, ’di ba?” he said.

Earlier, Año renewed his call for the release of the drug list before the 2019 elections, claiming that the list allegedly include political “heavyweights” in Cebu and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Aaron Aquino earlier said he would prefer to “silently” file charges against narco-politicians rather than release the narco-list to the public.