PDEA: 31 celebrities included in drug watch list

Thirty-one celebrities are included in the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)'s drug watch list, its chief said on Tuesday.

"Tama po 'yun, 31 po sila. Napapanood niyo pa rin sa telebisyon. May mga TV hosts pa nga na nakikita natin dito," PDEA chief Director General Aaron Aquino said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

"Mga wholesome pa ang roles nito sa telebisyon and yet itong mga artista na 'to iba po ang ginagawa 'pag gabi. Sila pa mismo ang tinutularan ng ating mga kabataan pero kung umorder ng ecstasy, 200 piraso," Aquino said.

He said the anti-illegal drugs agency still needs to confirm and validate those personalities included in the drug watch list.

"Hindi pa po ito validated. 'Pag watch list po,' di pa po validated, 'di katulad ng PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) list, validated na po lahat 'yan. We still need to confirm, to validate the list...," Aquino said.

"Sa ngayon, napakahaba pa po ng panahon na gugugulin para ma-validate po 'yan," he added.

Aquino admitted that at present, PDEA is focused on revalidating the politicians allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

"Wala pa po kami balak i-validate ngayon ang mga celebrities, judges and prosecutors. Siguro ho pagkatapos namin i-revalidate 'yung mga narco politicians, doon mag-umpisa na rin kaming mag-validate ng mga tao na ito," the PDEA chief said.

Aquino earlier bared that the illegal drugs watch list includes names of judges, prosecutors, celebrities as well as members of the media.

According to Aquino, there are around 60,000 personalities on the said watch list. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KG, GMA News