Duterte tells chief: Go after local execs and cops into drugs

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte seemed to be fixated on only one concern in Western Visayas; illegal drugs.

Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, Western Visayas police chief, said the president talked to him on Wednesday, June 20, during the latter's visit to Iloilo.

They had a two-minute talk while Duterte was on the landing pad on his way to Bacolod City.

"I was informed by the president that the only problem I have here is illegal drugs. The rest madali nang kausapin 'yan. Mga insurgents kaya daw niya 'yun," Bulalacao said Thursday.

Duterte told the region's top cop that "as long as there are still members of the local government and members of the PNP that are into illegal drugs, hindi ko raw maso-solve ang illegal drugs."

But the president made no mention of any personality involved in the illegal drug trade.

"Actually, meron naman s'yang binanggit the first time," Bulalacao said in reference to the so-called "Duterte list."

In his speech August 2016, Duterte tagged Iloilo as most "shabulized." In another instance, he also labeled Iloilo as a "bedrock of illegal drugs."

He also named alleged narco-politicians, judges, and police personnel from Western Visayas who were allegedly into illegal drugs.

"Based on that list, we will be validating that to find out if the people on the list were involved or are still involved," he said.

Whatever the results of the validation, Bulalacao said they will do the necessary action.

While no name was mentioned, he said that the president implies that as long as there are local government executives and policemen who are still into illegal drugs, the problem on illegal drugs will remain.

"He (Duterte) told me to sustain our illegal drug operations and make sure that the last man involved in illegal drugs is incarcerated," he added.