PNP asks Comelec to withdraw security escorts of politicians in narcolist

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to withdraw the security escorts assigned to politicians included in the so-called narcolist.

“Remember yung pagbibigay ng security is a right not a privilege. Wala sa Constitution na if nasa watchlist or not ay bibigyan ng security,” PNP chief General Oscar Albayalde said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

(Remember that getting a security escort is a right not a privilege. There is no provision in the Constitution for providing security to people on the watchlist.)

The “narcolist” is the government’s list of politicians allegedly involved in illegal drugs. The new list was made public last month ahead of the May 2019 elections.

READ: Duterte exposes 46 ‘narco politicians’

Rights groups opposed the release of the list because they said it invalidates the presumption that the accused are innocent until proven guilty.

“As I remember, paglabas ng list we already determined or given directive kung pwede tanggalin na ang security. Kaya ang tinitingnan natin kung meron binigyan ng authority from the Comelec previously,” Albayalde said.

(As I remember, when the list was released, we already determined or [was] given the directive to withdraw the security escort. So we are trying to determine if somebody was given that authority at the Comelec.)

Comelec chief Sherriff Abas said they will decide later in the day if they will allow the pull out of escorts to politicians included in the narcolist. /ee