PRRD brgy drug watch list 'confidential', 'confirmed' : PDEA chief

PALO, Leyte, April 19  -- The top official of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has said that he needs to wait for the instruction of President Rodrigo R. Duterte (PRRD) before publishing the names of barangay officials linked to the illegal drug trade.

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said in a media interview on Wednesday that they have 274 barangay officials on their watch list while 289 are on the President’s list.

Aquino said the President’s list is “confidential” but “confirmed,” and it is up to him to give the go-signal for its publication.

On the other hand, he said, their “watch list” is still subject to validation.

“I am waiting for the order of the (Department of the Interior and Local Government) or maybe the President,” he said.

“If I would have my own way and the President would order it, I would publish the names of the village officials involved in illegal drugs so that their constituents would know and they would not vote for them,” said Aquino, who was here for the inauguration of the office of PDEA 8 (Eastern Visayas).

He added that  PDEA, the Philippine National Police and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency are validating reports of those allegedly engaged in pushing or using narcotics, or protecting the illegal drug trade.

If the reports are found to be true, based on the validation process, the names will be included on the President’s list, he said.

Aquino called on voters to elect candidates who are not linked to the illegal drug trade in the May 14 elections. He said this is to help attain the national government’s target to make the country drug-free by the time Duterte ends his term in 2022. (RTA/PNA)