Nograles denies hand in 'narcolist' video linking Duterte's family to drug trade

Former Speaker Prospero "Boy" Nograles denied he had a hand in the video linking President Rodrigo Duterte's children Paolo and Veronica, as well as the President's partner Honeylet, to the illegal drug trade.

Nograles was referring to the statement made by President Duterte that it was Nograles and the Liberal Party (LP) who are behind the video titled and "Tunay na Narcolist" which features an alleged certain ex-drug syndicate member identified only as Bikoy accusing Paolo, Veronica and Honeylet of being a beneficiary of drug money using dummy accounts.

"My analysis is that he meant Trillanes, not Nograles, and that's what came out in the legit news," Nograles said.

Nograles and Duterte used to be political adversaries. Nograles ran against Duterte in the 1992 polls for the Davao City mayoral race and also opposed Duterte’s candidacy in the 2001 elections. In both instances, Nograles lost. In the 2010 elections, Nograles ran against Duterte’s daughter Sara for the Davao City mayoral race but again failed.

Nograles has been the representative of Davao City's First District from 1989 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2010. He served as House Speaker from 2008 to 2010.

In December 2015, however, Nograles said he has buried the hatchet with Duterte because the latter did not field an opponent against Nograles’ son, Karlo, who was at the time running for this third and last term in the 2016 polls.

Nograles and his son supported Duterte’s 2016 presidential bid, and Karlo now serves as President Duterte’s Cabinet Secretary.

Show the tattoo

Opposition Senate bet Erin Tañada, for his part, challenged the President to look at his backyard first rather than blame the opposition.

The certain Bikoy in the video also alleged that Paolo has a tattoo on his back bearing the numbers and the codenames that he uses in receiving drug money such as Polo Delta and Alpha Tierra.

"President Duterte knows that if the allegations are not true and he wants to be honest, he should just ask his son to remove his shirt and show his back if there is indeed a tattoo as described. This is the challenge," Tañada, LP's vice president for external affairs, said.

"If President Duterte truly believes Paolo has no involvement in drugs, then he should order him to show his back to the public," Tañada added.

Likewise, Tañada dared the President to substantiate his claims against the LP.

"The President should name who in the LP [he is talking about] and show proof. If he fails to do that, that would show his war on drugs is selective," Tañada, a lawyer like Duterte, said. —KG, GMA News