PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — An incumbent official seeking re-election as village chief in Balabac town and a former barangay chairman in Coron have been included in the new narco list recently disclosed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
PDEA Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) regional director Mario Ramos confirmed Monday in local interviews that incumbent Mangsee, Balabac barangay chairman Pistoh Akin Hamja, and former barangay chairman Anthony Clifford Pe of Poblacion 3, Coron, have been included in the list for alleged involvement in illegal drugs.
However, he said no case will be filed yet against the two pending more validation activities of their so-called involvement.
“It’s going to be a long process, and we need additional evidence and documents before there can be cases (filed),” Ramos said.
Hamja and Pe are among the 207 suspected drug pushers, protectors, and users in the narco list that was revealed by the PDEA two weeks before the May 14 synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
Of the total number, Ramos stated that 117 are barangay councilors and 90 are barangay chairmen from various provinces in the country.
Most of those considered “high-value targets” are from the Bicol Region. He said validating their involvement is important to ensure fairness.
The Palawan Commission on Elections (Comelec), meanwhile, has confirmed that Hamja is seeking re-election as chairman of Barangay Mangsee, Balabac.
“Yes, he has filed his certificate of candidacy to seek re-election. We didn’t see Pe’s name in our list,” said Jomel Ordas, spokesperson of the Palawan Commission on Elections. (Celeste Anna Formoso/PNA)
