PDEA urged to release names of celebrities on drug watch list

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) should reveal the names of the celebrities allegedly involved in illegal drugs, senatorial candidate Francis Tolentino urged.

Tolentino, a bet of the ruling PDP-Laban and the administration coalition Hugpong ng Pagbabago, said actors and other professionals in the media industry involved in illegal drugs must be exposed, just like politicians engaged in the illicit activity.

“These artists endorse politicians, but the politician does not know if the artist endorsing him is involved in illegal drugs, that is the irony of this,” he said during a briefing yesterday with reporters and editors of The STAR.

PDEA director-general Aaron Aquino previously revealed that they are keeping a close watch on 31 celebrities, including 11 actresses, believed to be engaged in activities related to illegal drugs.

Tolentino said the erring celebrities should be exposed to the public that look up to the actors as idols.

“As a former head of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), I’ve seen not just adulation but cult following of moviegoers who scramble to buy tickets,” he said, referring to his experience as MMFF chairman when he was then head of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

While he has information on the list, he stressed that the PDEA should reveal those involved in illegal drugs, including actors, directors, producers, scriptwriters and other media personalities.

“We should know who we should admire, who we should spend our money for movie tickets, who should endorse products,” he said.

Tolentino is aiming for a seat in the Senate for the second time after he lost in the 2016 elections.

He is one of the five senatorial bets endorsed by President Duterte. 

Meanwhile, senatorial candidate Chel Diokno of the opposition alliance Otso Diretso urged the government to launch a full-blown investigation on the claims of dismissed police officer Eduardo Acierto, who tagged two Chinese businessmen close to President Duterte as drug traffickers.

“We need to have a full-blown investigation, the people need to know the truth behind this,” said Diokno, who is a human rights lawyer.

Acierto, who has been implicated in a multibillion-peso shabu smuggling incident, accused the President and the Philippine National Police of ignoring an intelligence report he submitted and blocking further investigation into the alleged drug links of presidential economic adviser Michael Yang.

The PDEA has confirmed receiving the report from Acierto.

Diokno also called on Duterte to stop making irresponsible statements after the President, during a speech in South Cotabato on Tuesday, asked the police and the military why Acierto is still alive, which other opposition bets have slammed as “an indirect order to kill.” 

Diokno said the President’s statements are only raising more suspicion among the public regarding his administration’s links to drugs. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe