He may have grown impatient with the slow judicial system but President Duterte is not necessarily supporting any legal shortcuts in resolving drug-related cases.
The President’s public disclosure of government officials with suspected drug links should not be misconstrued as circumventing the judicial process, according to his spokesman Ernesto Abella.
Abella said the President merely wanted these concerned officials to come forward and clear their names from alleged drug involvement.
“It’s not a shortcut. There is no lawful process being shortcut here,” Abella said in a Palace press conference about the President’s “name-and-shame” strategy against those allegedly involved in the drug trade.
“He is simply facilitating the whole process by encouraging those who are already been considered persons of interest to be able to come out and explain themselves,” he said.
He said given his experience as a former prosecutor, the President is fully aware that “process takes really quite some time.”
Last Sunday, the President bared a list of judges, mayors, lawmakers, and security forces allegedly linked to illegal drugs. He immediately revoked their gun licenses and directed them to report to their superiors.
(Genalyn D. Kabiling)