{"id":205125,"date":"2019-03-04T21:13:32","date_gmt":"2019-03-05T02:13:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=205125"},"modified":"2019-03-04T21:13:32","modified_gmt":"2019-03-05T02:13:32","slug":"dilg-pdea-have-duty-to-inform-voters-about-narco-politicians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/03\/04\/dilg-pdea-have-duty-to-inform-voters-about-narco-politicians\/","title":{"rendered":"DILG, PDEA have duty to inform voters about narco-politicians"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Once more Filipinos receive formal education, he said he believed they would make informed choices on politicians to represent them.\u00a0(File Photo<\/a>: jon mannion\/Flickr<\/a>, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

MANILA<\/strong>\u00a0— It is the constitutional duty of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to inform voters about politicians allegedly linked to the illegal drug trade, Malaca\u00f1ang said on Monday.<\/p>\n

Presidential Chief Legal Counsel and Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo emphasized that this will help voters make more responsible choices during the elections in May.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe DILG and the PDEA think it is their duty, in fact, constitutional duty to inform the voters on their investigation relative to the drug industry,\u201d Panelo said in a Palace briefing.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnder the Constitution, the right to information is enshrined.\u00a0Tungkulin ng gobyerno din \u2018yun<\/em>\u00a0(That\u2019s the government\u2019s duty). At the same time, we have also the presumption of innocence),\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Critics have hit both agencies for releasing a narco-list saying it is unfair because it disregards candidates’ presumption of innocence.<\/p>\n

However, Panelo said it would also be unfair to voters not to let them know about the candidates they are voting for.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the point of view of the voters, it will also be unfair if you do not tell them exactly your investigation relative to those involved in the drug industry,\u201d Panelo said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they are elected and then suddenly their place is contaminated with drugs, they will blame the government,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Stronger case<\/strong><\/p>\n

Panelo agreed with calls of Senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Sherwin Gatchalian to file criminal charges against these alleged narco-politicians, noting that government is obtaining evidence to make cases against them stronger.<\/p>\n

\u201cFiling a case is not that easy, you need documentary and testimonial evidence. Now, the idea of presenting a list by the DILG and PDEA is to tell the electorate on the kind of candidates that they will choose from and I think it will help them,\u201d Panelo said.<\/p>\n

He assured that names on the narco-list have been validated.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely, the Palace will make it a point that the list submitted to it has been validated by the agencies submitting the same,\u201d Panelo said.<\/p>\n

Legal remedies<\/strong><\/p>\n

Panelo said that politicians who have been wrongly accused always have the option to avail of judicial remedies to clear their names.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fear that it may destroy the presumption of innocence, to my mind there is a judicial remedy for that: If you feel that you\u2019ve been libeled, you can always go to the courts,\u201d Panelo said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I were their lawyer and you are threatening to release the name of my client, I can file a case in court to stop you from so doing,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

More education<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Panelo also acknowledged that despite being informed about politicians trafficking drugs and corrupting public funds, the uneducated and poor are still drawn to voting them.<\/p>\n

\u201cNangyayari iyan kasi<\/em>\u00a0(That happens because) most of our electorate are not really that educated.\u00a0Kulang sa<\/em>\u00a0(They lack) formal education,\u201d Panelo said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaraming mahihirap sa atin, kailangan nila ng pera<\/em>\u00a0(There are too many poor Filipinos, they need money,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Once more Filipinos receive formal education, he said he believed they would make informed choices on politicians to represent them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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