Solon urges PDEA: Release names of barangay officials involved in drugs ASAP

A lawmaker on Tuesday urged the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to release its list of barangay officials supposedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

Iligan City Representative Frederick Siao made the call after PDEA chief Aaron Aquino was quoted in a newspaper report as saying that his agency would release the names of the 289 barangay officials in Eastern Visayas allegedly involved in drugs in time for the May 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

"Nasaan na ang listahan ng mga umano’y 289 na barangay officials na sangkot sa illegal drugs? Was that just a ploy, a slip of the tongue, a misquote, or a PR stunt?" Siao said in a statement.

"If the PDEA does have such a list, then now is the time to fully disclose that list," he added.

In a press conference in Tacloban City last week, Aquino said PDEA will release the names to prevent the barangay officials from winning in the elections.

Siao reminded the PDEA that the barangay elections is only three weeks away. He warned that the agency will lose its credibility if it fails to release the names.

"Reveal the list as it is now and the reasons those barangay officials are on that list. Inform the public and give the officials allegedly involved the fair chance to respond to the allegations," he added.

Siao also asked PDEA to make public its list of 45 barangays that are "seriously affected" by drugs.

Aquino was also quoted in another news report as saying that out of 23,424 drug-affected barangay, 15,290 were classified as "slightly affected," 9,089 were "moderately affected," and 45 were "seriously affected."

"The shortest list is that of the 45 barangays 'seriously affected.' That is one list the people can easily understand because it is not too long. Where is that list? Reveal that also," Siao said. —ALG, GMA News