MALACAÑANG on Monday, March 4, justified the plan to release the list of alleged narco-politicians, saying the "uneducated and poor" voters need guidance.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo reiterated that the plan to release the narco-list is meant to warn the public against politicians found to be involved in rampant narcotics trade.
He said some voters, who have had no formal education and are in the marginalized sector, get intimidated by candidates who have links to illegal drugs.
"Kaya nangyayari iyan kasi most of our electorate are not really that educated. Kulang sila sa aral din eh. Kulang sa formal education kaya ang mga kababayan natin, they are subject to, one, intimidation," the Palace official said in a pess conference with Palace reporters.
(It's happening because most of our electorate are not really that educated. They lack education. Our countrymen lack formal education that's why they are subject to, one, intimidation.)
The poor, meanwhile, are easily swayed by offers of cash.
"Number two, maraming mahihirap sa atin, kailangan nila ng pera. Kaya may problema talaga tayo (Number two, many of us are poor. They need money. That's why we really have a problem here)," he added.
The government plans to release the list of supposed narco-politicians before March 30, or a day prior to the start of the campaign period for local candidates.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde, for his part, said he will support President Rodrigo Duterte if he decides to release the list.
But he stressed the need to validate the list.
"Ang stand namin dyan is what is important here is the validation. Ito palagi ang stand namin since the first time na lumabas 'yung list na yan, this list should be validated," he said.
He said it is "fair" for the people to know who among the politicians are involved in illegal drugs trade especially that they are about to elect the next leaders of the country.
"It's high time Filipinos should know the truth para naman magkaroon ng desisyon ng maayos, makapagdecide ng maayos ang ating mga botante, ang ating mga kababayan kung sino ang nararapata na manungkulan dito sa ating bansa," he said.
"I think 'yung taumbayan they deserve to know. They deserve the truth," he added.
Duterte said on February 20 that he favored the proposal to name the alleged narco-politicians ahead of the elections, which is scheduled for May 13.
Some 83 politicians are included in the government's so-called "narco-list," the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) earlier said .
In a statement on Sunday, March 3, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) cautioned authorities against the release of another list of politicians supposedly involved in narcotics.
The CHR stressed that "presumption of innocence is a Constitutionally-guaranteed right."
Panelo said a government official included in the government's drug watch list can go to court to clear his name.
"The idea of presenting a list by the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) and PDEA is to tell the electorate on the kind of candidates that they will choose from and I think it will help them," he said.
"Now, the fear that it may destroy the presumption of innocence, to my mind, there is a judicial remedy for that: If you feel that you've been libeled, you can always go to the courts," he added. (VoxPop Philippines)
