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Gov’t urged to file charges vs local gov’t officials on ‘narco list’

MANILA, Jan. 10 (PNA) -- If there is enough evidence to prove that local government officials in the so-called ‘narco list' are involved in the illegal drug trade, Sen. Leila de Lima on Tuesday urged the government to bring the cases to court.

“If they do have evidence, if they are sure about their list, with all the resources of the state, they can always build the cases against these mayors, against these PNP (Philippine National Police) officials involved in illegal drugs,” De Lima told reporters in an interview.

De Lima, former Justice Secretary, made this remark after Pres. Rodrigo Duterte threatened mayors and cops on the narco list to surrender or risk being killed.

She said that there was no need for Pres. Duterte to make verbal threats against them because there is a proper process and forum to prove their culpability.

“…I’m giving it to them, I’m giving it to the President that it is possible that most of the names on the list are actual narco-mayors involved in drugs and are protectors, coddlers or negligent on their functions as mayors that’s why there is a proliferation of drugs in their respective places. But they have to prove it in the proper process, in the proper forum,” De Lima said.

The neophyte senator said that filing charges against them would also give them a chance to defend themselves.

“File those cases against those mayors, give them opportunity to be heard, and then pass judgment on these mayors by the proper authorities. And I’m referring to the courts of law,” she added.

De Lima said that it was possible that most of the names on the narco list could be actually involved in the illegal drug trade, however, said that there were still doubts.

“Most of the names on the narco list could be true but I doubt whether it’s a completely accurate list because they don’t tell us where it came from,” she further said.

She pointed out that earlier narco lists which included some judges were eventually cleared by the Supreme Court in its own investigation. (PNA)

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