Malacañang has expressed support to the move of newly-appointed interior undersecretary Martin Diño, requiring barangay (village) officials to submit a list of drug pushers in their respective areas.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Diño’s directive was within his mandate as an official of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
“E trabaho naman po ‘yang ng DILG dahil sila ang may jurisdiction sa mga lokal na pamahalaan. So, hayaan po nating gawin ng DILG ang kanilang katungkulan,” Roque said in an interview with GMA News TV’s News To Go on Thursday.
READ: DILG Usec Diño to barangay execs: Submit drug list or face ax
Roque allayed the fears of the public that Diño’s order would violate human rights of alleged drug pushers.
“Well, ang pinapasumite lang po ay pangalan at sigurado naman po ako na magkakaroon ng imbestigasyon,” he said.
“So, wala pong mangyayari sa pagsusumite lamang ng pangalan. Kinakailangan ihain muna sa hukuman ang mga kaso,” he added.
He said the DILG would need to verify the accuracy of names included in the drug list that would be submitted by the village officials.
“Unang-una, kailangan mag-imbestiga ang DILG kung may katotohanan at kung mayroong katotohanan mayroon din kasing mga pamamaraan para mapaalis sa pwesto yung mga lokal na mga opisyales. At pangalawa, kung mayroon talagang ebidensya, ihain ang kaso sa hukuman,” Roque said.
Diño, a former Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman, was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to DILG early this week.
READ: Duterte appoints Diño as DILG undersecretary
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