By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos/ Philippine News Agency
Malacañang on Friday assured the public that the unnamed presidential aspirant who is accused of being a cocaine user would not get any preferential treatment from the government.
In an online press briefing, acting Presidential Spokesperson, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, said the Palace would leave the fate of the presidential candidate to the law enforcement agencies.
“‘Yung mga drug enforcement agencies natin, siyempre alam naman po nila ang kanilang mandato,” he said. “It is safe to assume na if may investigation, then they’re already doing everything in their power to catch whoever perpetrators at kung sino man ang lumalabag sa batas.”
Nograles issued the statement, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte disclosed that a candidate for the May 9, 2022 presidential elections is using cocaine.
Duterte did not divulge the identity of the presidential hopeful but dropped hints that the latter is a male with a “very weak” character and comes from a wealthy family with a prominent patriarch.
Quizzed about Duterte’s source, Nograles said the President may have gotten the information from “intelligence reports.”
He also declined to further spill more information, saying he would let Duterte use his “wise and sound judgment” on the possible naming of the presidential aspirant accused of taking cocaine.
“Si Pangulo siyempre (Of course, the President) has access to many sources, including mga (the) intel reports. On naming the said individual, we will leave it to the sound judgment of the President,” Nograles said.
He added that Duterte might eventually reveal the identity of the presidential aspirant in his future public engagements.
Pressed if Duterte has plans to file charges against the controversial presidential candidate, Nograles said, “Wala po tayong sinasanto dito. Walang pinipiling social rank o status. Lahat po iyan, basta sangkot sa droga, ay kakasuhan natin, huhulihin natin, ipo-prosecute po natin.”
Among the known male presidential candidates are incumbent senators Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.
On Thursday, Duterte reiterated his support for Go’s presidential bid and vouched for the competence of his former long-time aide to succeed him and lead the country.
He earlier said he would not support the candidacy of Pacquiao and Marcos.
Duterte also claimed that Marcos might have influenced his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, to run for vice president instead of president, despite being the top pick in the pre-election presidential surveys. (PNA) -rir
