Politicians in ‘narcolist’ down to 82, says PDEA chief

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino. INQUIRER PHOTO/ JAM STA. ROSA

MANILA, Philippines — The number of politicians included in the so-called narcolist or those involved in illegal drugs has been narrowed down to 82, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Director General Aaron Aquino revealed on Tuesday.

Aquino said the list, which previously included 83 politicians, has been trimmed after Mayor Norodin Franco Salazar of Datu Salibo, Maguindanao was arrested in February for charges of murder and illegal possession of firearms.

“Actually they are now down to 82, the last time I said it was at 83 but one of the mayors was arrested,” he said in a press conference. “So now it’s down to 82 narcopoliticians.”

According to Aquino, the list currently has 64 politicians who are seeking re-election in May.

Aquino also admitted that the list still needs to be revalidated, even as Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) might release it to the public by next week, as the campaign season for the midterm polls heats up.

Aquino said he “does not have an idea” on the supposed schedule of the release of the list.

“As of now, there is an instruction for PDEA to disclose the list, but I can’t do it right now because we haven’t finished our re-validation of the all the narco-politicians,” he said.

Aquino has maintained his opposition against making the narco-list public, but said he will abide by the decision of the President, who according to Panelo has supposedly already given Interior Secretary Eduardo Año the green light. /jpv /muf

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