Sotto: TV, movie execs should not give projects to celebs linked to drugs

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO / CATHY MIRANDA

MANILA, Philippines — If television and movie producers know who among the celebrities are involved in illegal drugs, they should not give any projects to them.

This was the call of Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Saturday as he urged television executives to help their artist stop the illegal drug activities or assist them to go to drug rehabilitation.

“Siguro yung mga producer, yung mga television network executive o yung mga movie producers, eh wag na nilang kunin yung mga iyon, ibig sabihin masamang ehemplo sa mga kabataan eh,” Sotto said in an interview over DWIZ.

The Senate president also said that if the network’s artist is an asset to the company, they should help that showbiz personality to move away from involvement in drugs.

“So kung mayroon silang intensyon talaga na ganon (na tulungan yung artist), e kausapin na nila, pa-rehab na nila, o kaya patigilin na nila. Ngayon kung ayaw, tanggalin nila sa trabaho,” Sotto added.

“Kung napaka-importante yung kanilang artista na yun, ipa-rehab nila,” he continued.

Sotto earlier said that he is in favor for the move to release in public the names of the celebrities included on the drug watchlist.

READ: Sotto: Validate list of celebs linked to drugs first prior to release

According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, 20 actors and 11 actresses are included on its drug watchlist.

The agency, however, could not yet name the celebrities pending confirmation. /jpv

READ: PDEA chief: 20 actors, 11 actresses on drugs watchlist