MANILA — There was a “strong” possibility that President Rodrigo R. Duterte would bare the names of barangay (village) chiefs in his so-called “narco-list” whether or not May 14 elections would push through.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this remark after Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Martin Diño claimed that some 9,000 barangay captains are currently involved in illegal drugs.
“I suppose, because the DILG has asked and the President has also asked the electorate to reject barangay officials who are somehow involved in drugs. So that possibility is very strong,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.
Diño also warned that barangay captains proven to be involved in the illegal drug trade would immediately be removed from office.
Roque, meanwhile, said that although Duterte wanted barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to proceed on May 14, he would leave it to the “wisdom” of Congress to decide on the matter.
“Sinabi na po iyan ni Presidente (The President has said that before). He defers to the wisdom of Congress in this regard. He has expressed a preference na sana matuloy (that he wants it to push through) but if Congress so decides, then he will respect the decision to postpone it anew,” Roque said.
On Monday, a House of Representatives committee approved the proposal to postpone the barangay elections from May 14 to October 8 this year.
Roque, however, said that the Senate has yet to take action on the said proposal.
“Iyong (the) developments are in the House and I’m not sure if there is any development at all in the Senate,” Roque said. (PNA)
