The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Thursday said judges, prosecutors, showbiz personalities and even media members were among those included in the narco-list of President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a News to Go television interview, Director General Aaron Aquino said judges and prosecutors had been tagged as drug users or even as protectors, and that some of them would accept extortion money in exchange for the dismissal of a drug case.
“We have two lists, the President Rodrigo Roa Duterte list and the other the PDEA watchlist,” Aquino said.
“The PRRD list is a validated one. Some of them are included in our watchlist, too, but we have not yet verified or validated these.”
The Interior department has filed a complaint against 45 mayors before the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged failure or refusal to create Anti-Illegal Drugs Abuse Councils in their areas.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the complaint was filed against the second batch of 25 mayors on Wednesday afternoon. The first batch of complaints against 20 mayors were filed on March 14.
“Despite several directives from the DILG and the Dangerous Drugs Board, the concerned mayors still failed or refused to comply with the said orders and their towns are among those that are without an organized and functional ADAC,” Año said in a statement.
The names of the judges, prosecutors, showbiz personalities and members of the media emanated from the exchange of text messages between the arrested drug suspects and their clients, Aquino said.
“We are continuing to build cases and then file administrative charges. From there, we will ensure a tight case against them with hard and strong evidence to pin down these individuals, and not just for the sake of filing cases.”
The extent of the involvement of the 46 in the drug list of the President ranged from being protectors, financiers, and even drug lords, Aquino said.
“The PDEA and other law enforcement agencies are now more focused on the supply reduction through our seaports and airports.
“We have given the duty of going after street pushing and using to the Philippine National Police since policemen are the ones embedded at the barangay level. However, there are times we have joint operations on high-value targets.”
