Candidates who will be included in the narco-list of the Department of Interior and Local Government and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will not be disqualified, the Commission on Elections said yesterday.
Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas said in an interview with CNN Philippines that they will presume those included in the list as innocent unless proven otherwise.
“It’s DILG’s and PDEA’s call. That’s their mandate. But as far as Comelec is concerned, we will not get involved with that, because we will presume everyone on the list innocent. It will not be grounds for a candidate’s disqualification,” he said in the vernacular.
The Comelec chairman also said that he supports the release of the narco-list if everyone included will be proven to be involved in narco-politics.
“The problem is, is the list validated? If it is, it will be a good guide to voters, because why would you vote for a candidate who is involved in narco-politics?” he said.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said they will release the narco-list this month before the campaign period for local candidates start on March 30.
Año assured that the narco-list will only be released after PDEA fully verifies and validates its accuracy.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Malacanang supports the release of the narco-list to enable voters to can make “intelligent choices” when they cast their votes. (Minka Tiangco)
