Palace firm on release of narco list

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang is standing by its decision to allow the release of the names of candidates allegedly involved in illegal drugs despite criticism it would violate the right to be presumed innocent.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said releasing the narco list would help voters choose their leaders during the midterm polls. He said candidates could file cases if they feel their rights have been violated by the release of the narco list.

It was the idea of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to make public the supposed narco list before the start of the campaign season for local candidates on March 29.

“The idea of presenting a list by the DILG and PDEA is to tell the electorate the kind of candidates that they will choose from and I think it will help them,” Panelo said at a press briefing yesterday.

“Now the fear that it may destroy the presumption of innocence, to my mind there is a judicial remedy for that: if you feel that you’ve been libeled, you can always go to the courts,” he added.

The Commission on Human Rights has expressed reservations over the plan to release the so-called narco list, saying politicians involved in illegal drugs should just be charged to make them accountable before the law.

The commission has also warned that the release of the narco list could lead to violent incidents.

“Definitely, the Palace will make it a point that the list submitted to it has been validated by the agencies submitting the same,” Panelo said.

He added releasing the narco list would even allow candidates to explain themselves.

“Me, as a lawyer, I prefer that you release the name of my client so I can immediately respond to it, so I can clear his name if he is innocent and at the same time, sue you,” Panelo said.

“From the point of view of the voters, it will also be unfair if you do not tell them exactly your investigation relative to those involved in the drug industry. And if they are elected and then suddenly their place is contaminated with drugs, they will blame the government,” he added.

Not concerned

For the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the question on whether or not the list should be released ahead of the elections is beyond the poll body’s concern.

In an interview, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez also said inclusion in the supposed narco list is no ground for disqualification of any politician or candidate in the May 13 polls.

“Again, if someone wants to release the narco list, that is their (decision) entirely.  We don’t have position on that,” he pointed out. 

The Comelec said it is merely reaffirming its position aired during the barangay polls that inclusion in the narco list does not make a candidate ineligible to run, unless he is convicted with finality.

Jimenez added there are “a lot of collateral issues to use of the narco list but none of those affect both the Comelec nor the status of the candidates.”

“If there are candidates on the narco list then that list only reflects at best, to the best of my knowledge, an allegation that they are involved in the narcotics trade. It’s not yet final conviction,” he maintained.

He, however, stressed that being in the narco list may affect a candidate’s chance of winning. – Sheila Crisostomo, Paolo Romero, Helen Flores, Cecille Suerte Felipe