The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) appealed on Saturday to voters to reject 143 village chiefs and 146 village councilors involved in the narcotics trade.
“They do not deserve the people’s votes,” said PDEA chief Aaron Aquino in a statement, referring to the 289 village officials who are on President Duterte’s narcolist.
The PDEA chief voiced concern that drug money could seep into the elections.
“Obviously, they (illegal drug syndicates) will only support local candidates who will give them protection in return,” he said.
Philippine National Police spokesperson Chief Supt. John Bulalacao said all police units had been ordered by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) officer in charge Eduardo Año to monitor the activities of village officials involved in crime.
DILG spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said the DILG saw the barangay elections as an opportunity for the people to remove officials with ties to illegal drugs.
It was up to the PDEA to disclose the names of officials involved in the illegal drug trade, he said.
Bulalacao said that aside from monitoring drug personalities who might finance village poll campaigns, police were also keeping watch on village officials involved in the narcotics trade.
“We will exert extra effort to monitor the candidates who will be supported by these drug syndicates,” Bulalacao said.
He said antinarcotics operations were likely to focus on village officials involved in the illegal drug trade.
Village and youth council elections are scheduled on May 14.