Don’t choose narcopoliticians, PRO tells public

CEBU, Philippines — Three weeks before the May 14 elections, the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 has yet to receive a directive from the PNP headquarters to reveal the names of narcopoliticians who filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs).

Chief Superintendent Robert Quenery, PRO-7 director, said it will be up to the electorate to wisely choose the candidates.

“We leave it up to the electorate. Alam na man ng mga botante yan. Alam na man ng mga tao sa barangay kung sino sa mga opisyales ang involved sa drugs,” Quenery said.

Quenery said if voters will still choose a candidate who is known to be involved in illegal drugs in their barangay, then, it is their choice to be governed by these narcopoliticians.

“If they want that they will be governed by narcopoliticians, wala tayong magagawa. That is my appeal to our electorate, choose the barangay officials, sila ang nasa ground,” Quenery said.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) previously said that there are more than 500 narcopoliticians although about 250 are still subject for validation.

It was also clarified that the list of drug personalities revealed by President Rodrigo Duterte will not be a basis for disqualification.

Cebu Police Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Edgar Alan Okubo had said that at least 20 narcopoliticians filed their COC although he refused to give specifics.

Meanwhile, the COCs from Cebu City and Cebu Province will be submitted to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) head office in Manila for checking today.

Cebu City South District election officer Atty. Anna Gujilde said the posting of the official list of candidates will depend on the duration of the checking which usually takes about 10 days.

“Gi-segregate ang tanang COCs per barangays and the positions. We will also check if the forms will match the encoded list para klaro na walay na missed out before we will submit it to the national office,” Gujilde said.

The Comelec head office will check if the candidates are qualified.

There is a possibility that some aspiring candidates who filed their COC might be disqualified due to age requirement, especially in the Sangguniang Kabataan level.

Under the SK reform law, Filipino youth between 18 to 24 years old may run for SK chair or kagawad but there are some who filed for SK even if they have gone beyond the age limit.

“Ministerial man mi so igo ra jud mi mag-receive pero amo pud silang e-inform na dili jud sila puwede. Sa Manila na e-check kung ang candidate registered ba or sakto ang edad para kalansar sa kana na position,” Gujilde said. —Ivory Pauline Escarro CNU Comm Intern (FREEMAN)