By Niceforo Balbedina / Pacific Times
Department of Interior and Local Government FILE PHOTO
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday said that it is still to push through with filing complaints against politicians included in Malacanang’s “narco-list” despite them winning in the just concluded midterm elections.
In a press release, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said that these politicians will not be getting a free pass from the agency even if they won in the polls.
“Kahit na pinalad silang manalo, tuloy pa rin ang administrative cases laban sa kanila. Hindi pa rin sila makakalusot kung sila ay mapapatunayang sangkot talaga sa iligal na droga,” he said.
Año added that the Malacanang made the list public before the elections in order to inform the voters of the involvement of their local leaders in the drug trade.
“Ang hangarin ng Pangulong Duterte sa paglalabas ng mga pangalan ay upang ipaalam sa publiko ang mga lokal na opisyal na konektado sa drug trade,” he said.
“Ang katotohanang ang ilan sa kanila ay natalo ay isa ng tagumpay para sa atin sapagkat kung hindi natin inilabas ang mga pangalan, karamihan, kung hindi lahat, ay malamang na nanalo sa halalan,” Año added.
Last March, the DILG has filed administrative charges to the Office of the Ombudsman against 46 alleged “narco-politicians” named by the president in his “narco-list.”
37 of these politicians ran for different posts these past elections with 26 of them actually winning.
The administrative charges filed against these politicians include rave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, conduct unbecoming of a public officer, and gross neglect.
The department secretary explained that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will be the one that will file criminal charges against the alleged narco-politicians and that the DILG will continue to coordinate with the Philippine National Police in pushing through with the charges. (PacificTimes)