Sotto: Celebrities in illegal drug trade should also be named

After President Rodrigo Duterte bared the names of the so-called narco politicians, Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday said celebrities involved in illegal drugs should also be made public.

“Might as well name the celebrities patronizing these drug pushers,” Sotto said when asked on the matter. “At least ‘yun pag galing sa pusher ang info, validated.”

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) earlier said it is investigating two celebrities for their alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade. 

PDEA Special Enforcement Service director Levi Ortiz refused to identify the male and female celebrities whose names were seen in the cellphone of alleged party drugs supplier Steve John Pasion, who was killed in a buy-bust in Manila on Monday night.

He said based on the text message, the two celebrities want to purchase 200 pieces of ecstasy from Pasion.

Ortiz said PDEA has been monitoring the two celebrities for quite some time as there were previous reports about their alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

Duterte bared Thursday night 46 names of politicians who have been slapped with administrative charges before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said 20 more local politicians will be charged and bared in the future. —KBK, GMA News