Palace to execs tagged by Duterte: Surrender, clear your names

Malacañang on Sunday advised the officials publicly linked by President Rodrigo Duterte to the illegal drugs trade to surrender and submit themselves to investigation if they want to clear their names.

“The President is encouraging all of the persons of interest, 'yung mga alleged drug lords and drug coddlers na 'to come out in the open to surrender themselves and submit themselves to thorough investigation if they want to clear their names,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in an interview over state-run dzRB radio.

Andanar said Duterte's move to name the judges, and police and local government officials show his “sincerity” on his campaign against illegal drugs.

“Ito po ay nagpapakita lamang nang sinseridad mula sa ating Pangulo na wala pong excused dito, wala pong sacred cows sa paghahanap, pagsusugpo at pag-aanunsyo, pag-e-exposé nitong mga pangalan ng mga matataas na miyembro ng ating gobyerno dito sa salot na droga na ito,” Andanar explained.

Duterte, elected with more than 16 million votes, campaigned his way into the presidency promising to eliminate criminality, illegal drugs, and corruption.

While in Davao City visiting the wake of soldiers killed fighting communist insurgents, Duterte read out a list of judges, mayors, congressmen, and both retired and active police officers allegedly involved in drug trade.

Duterte said while “it might be true, it might not be true” that the more than 150 personalities he named were linked to drugs, it was his duty to tell the truth to the Filipino people.

“Kailangan malaman ng tao kung ano ang nangyayari sa bayan natin. It is very important for people to know the state of things or conditions in this country. That is my sworn duty,” he said.

Hours after Duterte announced the names, Mayor Goto Violago of San Rafael, Bulacan went to the Philippine National Police's headquarters in Camp Crame to clear his name.

As of this posting, Violago was still inside Camp Crame.

A report by Cedric Castillo on Balitanghali said that two more local officials named by Duterte have also submitted themselves to police investigations.

Last week, Mayor Rolando Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte surrendered after Duterte linked him to drugs.

The police are waiting for his son, Kerwin, to surrender. —ALG, GMA News