PNP Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde on his first press conference
Newly installed PNP Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde on Friday stressed the importance of validating all information when a barangay official is suspected of being a narco-politician.
“Ma-deliberate at ma-adjudicate din to be fair doon sa mga andon sa watchlist,” he said.
(It has to deliberated and adjudicated to be fair to those on the watch list.)
During his first press conference as PNP Chief, Albayalde said it is possible that some of the names on the drugs watch list have no actual links to illegal drugs.
According to Albayalde this is particularly true in cases of political rivalry.
“Puwede ka kasing bigla na lamang ilagay doon sa listahan kung galit especially today na election period o election time. Ang barangay (elections) very personal iyan.” he explained.
(It is possible for your name to suddenly appear on the list if someone has a grudge on you; especially during election period. Barangay elections are very personal.)
For this reason, the Chief of Police said he is leaving the decision up to the President and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on whether or not to publish the names of barangay officials suspected to have involvement in illegal drugs trade.
PDEA Chief Aaron Aquino previously said that should the President order them to disclose the list, they would be compelled to do so.
Based on record of PDEA, there are 289 barangay chairmen and councilmen on the government’s drug watch list. — Lea Ylagan | UNTV News & Rescue
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