(Eagle News) — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Friday, Feb. 22, said the “narco-politicians” who he said figured in the agency’s list will be identified within the election period.
Año made the statement in a radio interview days after President Rodrigo Duterte publicly expressed his support for the release of the list ahead of the May polls.
According to Año, there was a need to validate the names on the list before it was released.
He said for this, the agency would coordinate with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
“(Pero) kailangan ng ating constituents na malaman sino itong mga ito,” Año said.
The elections are slated on May 13.
Upon his assumption of office, President Duterte released a list of then-high-ranking Philippine National police officials and former PNP officials who were allegedly engaged in illegal drug activities.
The list included former Quezon City Police District director Edgardo Tinio, former National Capital Region Police Office director Joel Pagdilao, former PNP deputy director Marcelo Garbo, former Western Visayas Police head,Chief Supt. Bernardo Diaz and Chief Supt. Vicente Loot, then the mayor of Daanbantayan in Cebu.