Release barangay narco list? Duterte sleeping on it

DAVAO CITY, Philippines  —  President Duterte is still thinking of whether to release the list of barangay officials suspected to be involved in the illegal drug trade in time for the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections next month. 

The Philippine National Police said the President already has the narco list of the barangay officials but that it still has to be released. 

“I will sleep on that issue. I’ll give it a thought. I’ll sleep on it maybe sometime,” the President said. 

The elections on May 14 will cover barangay captains and members of the Sangguniang Barangay, or barangay council, in 42,028 barangays nationwide.

Duterte has often lamented the involvement of barangay officials in the illegal drug trade. 

“So I have to think about this crucial issue. I have to make sure that it does not affect the freedom of the people to elect their own leaders because this is democracy,” the President said upon arrival at the Davao International Airport here before dawn yesterday from his trip to China and Hong Kong. 

The President said it is actually the choice of the people but then again letting them know that they might just elect the wrong guy. 

“And then we go back into this rigmarole again of denials and everything, and even mayors getting killed along the way,” he added. 

Duterte said that for him there is no middle ground as far as drugs are concerned as he always has zero-tolerance. 

Undersecretary Eduardo Año, officer-in-charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), yesterday urged aspiring barangay and SK candidates involved in illegal drugs not to run in the coming elections.

“Do your country a favor. Do not even consider the thought of filing your certificate of candidacy for any position in the coming barangay and SK elections,” said Año.

Año said candidates for the barangay and SK elections should not take advantage of elective positions for their personal gain.

He urged the public not to vote for these candidates to prevent the entry of corrupt officials in barangay anti-drug abuse councils (BADACs).

He stressed that BADACs will be ineffective if the members are corrupt public officials.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director general Aaron Aquino earlier said 289 barangay officials composed of 143 captains and 146 councilors are included in the narco-list of Duterte.  With Emmanuel Tupas