PDEA chief denies receiving wiretapped info from foreign gov’t on ‘narcopols’

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

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Director General Aaron Aquino denied on Thursday that the anti-drug agency received wiretapped information from foreign countries regarding “narco-politicians.”

Aquino’s denial contradicts the claim of Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, who said that foreign governments provide the country “wiretapped” information on politicians and criminals linked to illegal drugs. Panelo cited countries such as Israel, America, Russia, and China as those capable to access such information with advance instruments.

“Wala po kaming natatanggap na information or intelligence regarding sa narco-list na nanggagaling po sa ibang bansa,” Aquino said in an interview with dzBB.

(We have not received information or intelligence regarding narcolist that came from foreign countries.)

“Wala po akong kaalam-alam tungkol po sa issues po ng wiretapping, kung papaano ang mode of wiretapping na ginawa, at kung sino pong specific na ahensya ang gumawa nito [from other countries]. Sa panig po na ‘yan wala pong alam ang PDEA po diyan,” he also said.

(I do not have knowledge on issues on the said wiretapping, on the mode used in wiretapping, and which specific agencies did it. The PDEA does not have knowledge on this area.)

According to Aquino, the “narcolist,” or the list of politicians involved in illegal drugs, was sourced from intelligence information from local government agencies.

“Sa mga tauhan po namin sa baba nakakuha [ng leads] na umpisa muna [ay] raw data and eventually it was validated and prinoseso po ito para maging intelligence [information], and later on napasama na nga po sila [sa listahan],” he said.

(We get leads from our people on the ground which at first is considered raw data and eventually validated and processed to be intelligence information, and later on the politicians were included in the list.)

Under the Republic Act No. 4200 or the Anti-Wiretapping Law, wiretapping is prohibited unless authorized by the court. 

But Panelo said there is nothing illegal with the supposed wiretapped information and said “we should be thankful that we are being provided with information relative to criminal activities in this country.” /jpv

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