MANILA, Philippines -- Authorities are verifying the alleged involvement of about 50 more local executives in the illegal drugs trade, a Cabinet official said Monday.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno said many more officials with alleged involvement in narcotics were excluded from the list of the names that President Rodrigo Duterte read to the public earlier this month.
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“If we include the barangay captains, maybe hundreds,” Sueno said in a press conference in Malacañang. “If (we’re talking about) local executives, maybe not. Maybe about 50,” he added.
He said the list is being validated “up to now.”
Sueno said it would be up to the president to decide whether to disclose the names of local executives with alleged links to drug personalities.
“All I can say is that there are more who were not announced by the president,” the Interior and Local Government chief said.
Sueno said the number of officials believed to be involved in the narcotics trade reflects the seriousness of the problem.
“This says that the problem on drugs is enormous. It has expanded not only in one province but all throughout the country,” he said.
“We can understand the passion of the president in really eliminating drugs because it has proliferated, mainly because of the protection given by our local executives and our police.”
Duterte has so far named more than 160 incumbent and retired local executives, police, military jail and fire officials who are said to be into illegal drugs. He has vowed to shame more of the so-called “narco officials” as part of his effort to suppress illegal drug trade in three to six months.
‘Model local executives’
Sueno said the administration would also come up with a list of “model local executives” who were able to demonstrate good governance in their respective areas.
“They are governors in governance and transparency. They are awardees and they are good in the disaster preparedness. They have made their provinces competitive when it comes to business,” he said.
“The president is not only exposing the bad guys, but also the good guys in government.”
Sueno confirmed that those who belong to political dynasties and those with pending charges before the Ombudsman are supposed to be excluded from the list.
A briefer sent by the interior department to Malacañang showed tha the following governors are included in the list of model executives:
Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos
Isabela Gov. Faustino Dy III
Quirino Gov. Junie Cua
Palawan Gov. Jose Alvarez
Romblon Gov. Eduardo Firmalo
Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon
Bohol Gov. Edgardo Chatto
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III
South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes
Agusan del Norte Gov. Ma. Angelica Rosedell Amante-Matba
Pressed why some of the governors who are members of well-known political families were included in the list, Sueno said: “Well, maybe they are. They are members of the dynasties, but they have proven to be very good administrators and very good governors.”
He said that “maybe their being members of dynasties were outweighed by their performance as governors.”
Sueno clarified that the model local officials would not be given extra bonuses or awards.
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source: www.philstar.com/
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