Duterte withholds barangay narco-list

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police upon his arrival at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City at dawn of April 29, 2018 after coming off a successful participation in the 32nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Singapore. Also in the photo is Sec. Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President. JOEY DALUMPINES/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday, April 29, backtracked on his order to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to release the barangay narco-list containing the names of village officials allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

The list PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino was set to divulge included 211 barangay officials whom he said were “validated and confirmed” to be drug users, pushers, and protectors. Eighty-nine of them are barangay chairpersons while all others are barangay councilors.

“Not yet. It is not time. And I have to get back all of those who want to come back,” Duterte said in a press conference at Davao International Airport in  Buhangin, Davao City, upon his arrival from Singapore where he attended the 32nd ASEAN Summit.

The president, however, did not provide an explanation for his decision to withhold the ‘narco-list.’

Instead, he gave another stark warning to criminals and illegal drugs users.

“I will be harsh. Criminal groups who are into murder for hire pati ‘yang mga pulis diyan sa Maynila na (as well as the police in Manila) — I will be harsh,” Duterte said.

“Drugs? Sirain mo ang mga anak namin? Talagang yayariin kita. Hindi, hindi. Wala na akong drama diyan… Basta sinabi ko sa inyo, huwag ‘yan. (You will destroy our children? I will really go after you. No, no. I do not fake it. I’m telling you, not that [drugs]),” he added.

The president also told criminals not to “count on human rights.”

“It cannot protect you at all. Because I would consider it that you are destroying my country. And if you are destroying my country, I will really kill you. Harap-harapan, sabihin ko sa’yo (Face to face, I’m telling you),” he said.

The Palace on Friday, April 27, said that the purpose of releasing the narco-list is for voters to consider their choices in the barangay elections on May 14.

“Huwag po nating ihalal iyong mga may koneksyon sa droga (Let us not vote for those who have connections to [illegal] drugs,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said.