Majority of celebs in drug watchlist still ‘young’ — PDEA chief

“‘Yang 31 na ‘yan palagay ko parang tatlo lang ata ‘yung matanda diyan eh,” Aquino said in an interview with ANC’s Headstart on Wednesday, March 27. (File photo: PDEA Top Stories/Facebook)

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Aaron Aquino revealed that most of the 31 celebrities in the list of individuals allegedly involved in illegal drugs are still young.

“‘Yang 31 na ‘yan palagay ko parang tatlo lang ata ‘yung matanda diyan eh (Among those 31, I think only three are old),” Aquino said in an interview with ANC’s Headstart on Wednesday, March 27.

Asked what is the age range, the PDEA chief said, “Puro bata eh mga nasa 20s and 30s (Most of them are young, in their 20s and 30s).”

He said that the agency has already identified two of them as drug pushers, with one selling shabu while the other selling ecstasy. He added that 11 of them are actresses.

Aquino, however, did not drop the names of these celebrities.

“We just can’t disclose the list to the public without even undergoing some process of validation. Again, it’s a long process,” he said.

The agency’s chief believes that there are more celebrities who could be involved as these 31 actors and actresses are just part of the PDEA’s watchlist.

“Iba pa ‘yung nasa PNP (Philippine National Police) watchlist, iba pa siguro ‘yung nasa AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) watchlist, nasa barangay watchlist, or nasa NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) watchlist. ‘Pag siguro pinagsama-sama namin ‘yan baka aabot ng 100 siguro ‘yan (Those celebrities in the PNP watchlist, AFP watchlist, barangay watchlist, or in the NBI watchlist may be different. If we combine these, maybe the count could reach 100),” he noted.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Tuesday said PDEA needs to get permission first from President Rodrigo Duterte before they can reveal the names of the 31 celebrities who are allegedly linked to illegal drugs.

Although Malacañang was “saddened” by it, Panelo, said the government will not tolerate their involvement if it is proven.

“If they (PDEA) have sufficient evidence to back them up in court, then they should [file charges],” Panelo stressed, adding that “they must.”