PNP chief questions timing of ‘narcolist’ videos

Screen shot of a video circulated online.

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde questioned on Wednesday the timing of the release of videos linking close allies and relatives of President Rodrigo Duterte into a drug syndicate, since it also coincides with the campaign for the May 13 elections.

“As I see it, the timing is highly questionable. This is election time,” Albayalde said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

Among those alleged to be involved in a drug syndicate in the videos were presidential son and former Davao City Mayor Paolo Duterte and senatorial candidate Christopher “Bong” Go. The supposed exposé was narrated by a hooded man named “Bikoy,” a purported former member of the syndicate.

Bikoy alleged that the two had dragon tattoos on their backs proving their link to the syndicate.

READ: No dragon tattoo: Go bares back in Agusan

READ: Paolo Duterte taunts critics: Get your own tattoo

But for Albayalde, the allegation is “recycled” since it was already mentioned in a Senate hearing in 2017, where opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV challenged the younger Duterte to show his back tattoo. Trillanes then described the tattoo as a “colored and dragon-like figure.”

“It has been an issue in the Senate, parang recycled na ‘yan eh (it seems to be recycled),” Albayalde said.

“Everybody can have tattoos. And if you say dragon, very common ang dragon (dragon is very common) because it symbolizes power,” he added. /cbb

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