PDEA chief: Malacañang submitted more names of barangay execs to be included in narco list

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) director general Aaron Aquino on Thursday said they are expecting more barangay officials to be included in the narco list as Malacañang has submitted more names last night.

"May pinahabol pa ang Malacañang na listahan so I guess itong 211 na ida-divulge ko ay baka madagdagan pa po," Aquino said in an interview on GMA News' Unang Balita.

Aquino said the list of 211 barangay officials allegedly involved in illegal drug trade have already been verified.

"Merong user, may pusher, pero karamihan po sa kanila ay protector," he said. "Bago namin inupuan ito at kinonsolidate, ito po ay galing sa baba, validated na 'to, confirmed that they're involved in illegal drugs."

On Wednesday, PDEA confirmed that they were ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte to reveal the names of barangay officials included in the narco list with Aquino, saying that it will be released "within the week."

But with the additional names submitted by Malacañang, Aquino said they would instead disclose it either on Monday or Tuesday next week.

Of the 211 barangay officials on the list, 89 are barangay chairpersons while the rest are barangay kagawads. The Bicol Region has the highest number of barangay officials included in the list while the National Capital Region has "less than 15" barangay officials involved. 

"Hihimay-himayin ko pa 'yun kasi kung magbigay kasi sila isang libro eh, so kung titingnan ko pa kung ano yung naidagdag pa don, siguro less than 10 ang naidagdag siguro," Aquino said.

Asked whether the list that Malacañang submitted had been validated, Aquino said: "Opo, kasi meron naman po sa remarks doon, particular drug personality is nakalagay po doon is verified or subject for further validation."

The PDEA chief said they will not divulge the identity of those barangay officials who are "subject for further validation."

"Definitely hindi ko ida-divulge pa po yung mga pangalan na 'yon, including doon yung 274 watchlist ng PDEA na subject for further validation po lahat...So ang ipapublish ko lang po yung validated and confirmed na [ang] drug involvement nila," he added.

However, Aquino is not sure on whether the barangay officials included in the list have already filed their certificates of candidacy.

"Hindi ko lang po sigurado kung nagfile sila ng COC nila, meron siguro, mostly siguro na nasa listahan na ito ay nagfile ng COC nila," he said. — Marlly Rome Bondoc/RSJ, GMA News