DILG exec admits narco list release may affect probe

MANILA, Philippines — An official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) admitted that the investigation on the 46 politicians implicated in the illegal drug trade could be affected by the release of their names to the public.

DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III agreed when asked over The Chiefs on Cignal TV’s One News if the investigation on the criminal aspect could be derailed as the politicians involved will be more careful with their activities after President Duterte named them in public.

“Lumalabas na ganun (Looks that way),” Densing said in the interview aired on Monday.

He explained that in criminal cases, the proof to convict the politicians should be beyond reasonable doubt.

Densing added the narco politicians are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the courts.

Duterte recently released the names of the 43 local chief executives and three congressmen that were included in his list of narco politicians or officials with drug links.

Densing said the administrative cases the DILG filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against the narco politicians are for the offenses of grave misconduct and dereliction of duty for their failure to curb the drug problem in their respective areas.

According to Densing, Duterte’s decision to name the narco politicians in public is to guide voters in the midterm polls.

“The elections are coming and because we have a narco list, the people would need to know,” he said.

He said the President was willing to take the risk in naming the politicians in public, hoping that he can influence the voters.

“We can at least reduce the number of narco politicians in local government. I think the President saw that,” Densing said.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) spokesman Derrick Arnold Carreon said it took them 14 months to validate the involvement of the 46 politicians in the drug trade.

For his part, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Col. Bernard Banac said the outcome of a criminal investigation will depend on the evidence that will be gathered.

“Whenever there is a crime committed, we have to build up cases and file the necessary charges,” he said.

Citing their records, Banac said the PNP has filed charges against 157 local government officials, a majority of whom are barangay officers caught selling or using drugs in stings since 2016.

Celebrities

PDEA will still have to validate the list of celebrities with suspected links to illegal drugs.

PDEA director general Aaron Aquino told radio dzMM yesterday that investigators would verify the reports linking the celebrities to illegal drugs and the extent of their involvement.

Aquino earlier said that 31 celebrities are on the watchlist, some as users while others were involved in drug pushing.

Aquino explained their priority is validating the remaining narco politicians on that list.

Once the PDEA completes the probe on the politicians, they would proceed with validation of celebrities as well as prosecutors, judges and even members of media.

They would investigate if the celebrities are included in the narco list of President Duterte as Aquino noted some of these celebrities use screen names.

A majority of the celebrities use party drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy, which are popular during parties at night clubs and high-end bars.

The PDEA previously said two celebrities were clients of a drug trafficker who was slain in a drug sting in Manila earlier this month.

The suspect, Steve Pasion, allegedly sold drugs to celebrities based on text messages on his cellphone.

Aquino said these celebrities live in posh subdivisions that are difficult to inspect because of tight security at the entrance gates.   – With Alexis Romero