Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada announced that he will soon release a list of city officials who are drug users or coddlers of drug syndicates.
Estrada said his own “narco list” bearing the names of those who are involved in illegal drug activities is still being completed.
“Malapit na, hindi ko naman sinisikreto ‘yun. ‘Pag kumpletong-kumpleto na at sigurado na kami, ilalabas ko na,” Estrada said during the 3rd City Development Council Convention held recently.
Estrada said some officials in the barangay level have already been confirmed to be into drugs and are currently under investigation.
However, Estrada said he is sure that there are no city councilors including the vice mayor in the drug list because all of them have tested negative for drugs when they submitted themselves for drug testing in August.
“As of now, wala sa mga konsehal, wala sa mga department heads, ang pinapa-drug test namin ngayon mga city hall employees,” he added.
Estrada had announced last week that all barangay officials, from chairmen down to the barangay councilors, will have to take a mandatory drug testing.
This was an offshoot of the October 7 anti-drug operation at the Islamic Center in Quiapo where Barangay 648 Chairman Faiz Macabato was killed after fighting it out with policemen who were arresting his brother, a suspected drug pusher.
Macabato was also among the barangay chairmen failed to comply with the city hall’s directive to submit a list of suspected drug users and pushers in their respective communities.
Estrada warned that severe sanctions await barangay officials who would be found positive for drug use.
“Now, if any of the barangay official refused to take the drug test, suspicious na ‘yun. Para sa kabutihan din nila ‘yun, para hindi sila ma-surveillance,” Estrada said. (BETHEENA KAE UNITE)
