‘Narco list’ might be out in a week – DILG

DILG Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya. (Photo from his FB account)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) confirmed on Tuesday that the “narco list” — the list of politicians allegedly involved in illegal drugs — might be released by next week.

“Yes, next week ang target natin,” Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya, DILG spokesperson, said in a message sent to reporters.

[Yes, our target for the release of the list is next week.]

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said that the watchlist, which includes 82 politicians, was still being validated by the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs.

“After [that], we will submit it to the President and wait for his instruction,” Año told INQUIRER.net in a text message.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo earlier revealed the supposed schedule of the release of the narco list, claiming that President Rodrigo Duterte had already given the go-signal to the DILG.

Despite opposition from critics, Malaya said voters had the right to know which politicians were involved in illegal drugs, as a guide on which candidates should not get their support in the upcoming elections.

According to him, this right, which will help the public make an “informed choice,” is more important than concerns that politicians included in the list may not receive due process once the list is released.

“Ang punto namin the right to information ng ating mga kababayan is more important than ‘yung concern nila. Para sa amin since halalan ito at gusto nating sugpuin ang droga, kailangan ’yung mga protectors, mga coddlers, and mga [nag-iingat ng] drug syndicates ay kailangang malaman ng ating mga kababayan,” Malaya said.

[Our point is our countrymen’s right to information is more important than their concerns. For us, since this concerns elections and we want to eliminate illegal drugs, our countrymen should know who are the protectors, coddlers, and those keeping drug syndicates.]

Meanwhile, Director General Aaron Aquino, chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, said he had been opposing the move even before the filing of candidacies in 2018. He said, however, that he would abide by the order of the President. /atm