Drugs watchlist that includes judges, prosecutors, celebs, media still up for validation —PDEA chief

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is still validating the list of personalities — which includes judges and prosecutors, as well media personalities and celebrities — allegedly involved in illegal drugs, its chief clarified on Thursday.

"Once na may nakarating na report po sa amin, ito po ay isasama na namin sa watchlist. Mai-include ka na po sa watchlist," Director General Aaron Aquino told Dobol B sa News TV.

"Kapag naisama ka na po sa watchlist, kailangan muna po i-validate ka at i-confirm kung tama 'yung report na na-receive namin. Otherwise, kung hindi tama, tatanggalin ka namin sa watchlist."

According to Aquino, PDEA has two lists — one from President Rodrigo Duterte or the PRRD list, and one from the National Drug Information System (NDIS). He said the PRRD list includes at least 6,000 personalities while the NDIS list has more or less 20,000.

The PDEA chief said the PRRD list has been validated while the NDIS list still needs confirmation and validation, adding that the verification process usually takes time.

"Ang nasa listahan po natin sa PRRD list, more than 6,000 na po. Ito po ay naka-categorize, depende pag nakalagay na uniformed personnel kasama na po diyan ang AFP, PNP, PDEA at iba pang ahensya. Meron ding ibang category tulad ng media, may celebrity, merong politicans, at meron din kasama 'yung judges and prosecutors. 'Yung sa PRRD list, alam naman natin validated 'yan," Aquino said.

"Karamihan nasa tinatawag nating NDIS ito po ay isang watchlist lang ng PDEA kung saan meron din pong judges and prosecutors. Ang pagkakaiba lang ng PRRD list at NDIS, 'yung PRRD list validated 'yan. Pero itong watchlist natin sa NDIS eh unverified na po 'yan, hindi pa po na-validate 'yan," he added.

Last week, Duterte bared the 46 politicians included in the government's list of personalities allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

Aquino said they are still building up the cases against these ‘narcopoliticians’ and looking for strong evidence to pin them down.

"We are actually continuing our case buildup para sa mga narcopoliticians na ito. Siyempre hindi lang we’re just filing the case for the sake of filing. Dapat maging tight yung case at tama, we have [to have] hard and strong evidence to pin these narcopoliticians,” Aquino said in his interview on GMA News TV's News To Go.

The PDEA chief said these narcopoliticians have different kinds of involvement in the drug trade.

"May mga narcopoliticians na they are just protectors, meron din namang financers, meron din naman talagang drug lords na matatawag natin. So iba-aba ang level ng kanilang involvement sa illegal drugs,” he said.

The DILG has said the 46 personalities which Duterte named were already facing complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with their alleged drug activities. —Anna Felicia Bajo and Joviland Rita/KBK/RSJ, GMA News