The Department of Interior and Local Government is concerned by the enormity of the country’s drug problem given its list of “hundreds” of local executives and barangay officials with suspected links to the narcotics trade.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno said they are now validating the alleged drug involvement of these local officials, including 50 mayors.
“All I can say is that, there are more who were not announced by the President,” Sueno said in a Palace news conference. “I am sure that there are more local executives who are involved in drugs,” he added.
Asked about the number of local executives included in the list, Sueno said: “If we include the barangay captains, maybe hundreds.” As for the local executives, the DILG chief said: “Maybe about 50.”
Sueno said the alleged drug involvement of local officials showed “the problem on drugs is enormous.”
“It has expanded not only in one province but all throughout the country. 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,” he said. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)