DILG to pursue raps vs alleged narco pols

MANILA, Philippines — Local government officials in President Duterte’s narco list are not yet off the hook despite their victory in the midterm elections, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“Tuloy pa rin ang administrative cases laban sa kanila. Hindi pa rin sila makakalusot kung sila ay mapapatunayang sangkot sa iligal na droga,” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año yesterday said. 

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said 26 of 46 local officials tagged in the illegal drug trade won the elections. 

The President’s narco list include two congressmen, a vice governor, 18 mayors, three vice mayors, a councilor and a provincial board member.

“The purpose of President Duterte in releasing the names was to inform the public... The fact that some of them lost is a substantial victory for us... If we didn’t release the names, more, if not all, could have won the elections,” Año said. 

The DILG filed charges of grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, conduct unbecoming of a public officer and gross neglect of duty against the local officials last March. 

Año said the PDEA would also pursue criminal charges against these alleged narco politicians.

He said drug money could have been used to ensure the victory of suspected narco politicians. 

6 dead in drug war

Meanwhile, six suspected drug pushers were killed in drug busts in Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Batangas on Thursday. 

Reports reaching Camp Olivas  identified three of the fatalities as John Michael Torracha, a resident of Barangay Camp Tinio, Cabanatuan City;  Randy Calanday of Mabini, also in Cabanatuan City, and Randy Liona of Maligaya, Tarlac City. 

Police said the suspects were shot dead when they fired at law enforcers in Barangay San Carlos, Aliaga; Barrera, Cabanatuan City, and Poblacion, Ramos, Tarlac, respectively.

Brig. Gen. Joel Napoleon Coronel, Central Luzon police director, said the fatalities were on the drug watchlist in their areas.

In Batangas, two drug suspects who have yet to be identified were killed in a sting along the Talisay-Tanauan road in Barangay Banga. They died while being treated at the St. Andrew Hospital.

Police said the suspects yielded 40 sachets of shabu with an estimated street value of P40,000 and a caliber .38 revolver.

Meanwhile, 35 sachets of shabu, drug paraphernalia and marked money were recovered from 17 people arrested in drug stings in Bulacan in the past two days, Col. Chito Bersaluna, provincial police director, said. – With Ric Sapnu, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Ed Amoroso