Año to recommend disqualification of almost 600 local execs from 2019 polls

Interior and Local Government officer-in-charge Eduardo Año will recommend the disqualification of more or less 600 local officials allegedly involved in illegal drugs and other corruption activities from the 2019 elections.

In an ambush interview on Wednesday, Año said the number includes almost 300 officials relieved or suspended due to alleged corrupt activities, more or less 200 officials being probed, and 93 others who are supposedly linked to illegal drugs.

"It's up to the Comelec (Commission on Elections), titingnan naman natin 'yung severity ng involvement eh kasi ang danger kasi diyan kapag talagang involved sa drugs tapos ginagamit niya 'yung drug money para makabili ng boto, eh di meron na naman tayong... may checks and balances naman," Año said.

"'Yung filing puwedeng kahit makapagfile sila, meron pa ring way ang Comelec to disqualify them. We will do our job properly. We will consolidate at least para mabigyan ng idea 'yung Comelec," he added.

The filing of candidacy for the upcoming national and local elections is scheduled on October 11-12, 2018 and October 15-17, 2018.

The election period will begin on January 13, 2019. — RSJ, GMA News