PDEA won't reveal drug politicos list, says chair

Dismissing calls from solons, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Chief Dionisio Santiago said Friday that he will not identify politicians involved in drug trade in the country as such would subject him to libel raps, inquirer.net reports.

An irritated Santiago said that the extent of the PDEA’s job is to investigate and arrest cases involving illegal drugs and did not extend to disclosing names of “narco-politicos.”

“Why should I name them? Do you want us to get sued for libel?” Santiago said.

Santiago also refuted a report by the US State Department, saying the figures are “impossible” and denied that the country has become a primary source of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) for Asian and North American countries.

The report figures illegal drugs trafficked in the Philippines values from USD6.4 billion to USD8.4 billion (roughly P294.08 billion to P385.98 billion) annually.

“That figure is impossible since the worth of illegal drugs trafficked worldwide is just P400 billion. Do they mean that the Philippines has become the world’s capital in drug trade?” Santiago said.

He added, “Maybe they know something that we don’t. The problem with the Americans is that they always ask for information from us, but they don’t share what they have with us.”

The 2010 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) report released Monday (Tuesday in the Philippines) said money from drugs could affect the result of the May 2010 polls -- the money can be used to pay off voters or fund various campaigns.

After the report’s release the Dangerous Drug Board (DDB) petitioned the Office of the Ombudsman to submit a list of officials and employees investigated or tried for drug-related offenses.

Former DDB Chair Vicente Sotto III said Malacañang already has a list of the politicians involved in the drug trade and that no one running for presidential, vice-presidential or senatorial positions are included in the list. The list was compiled by the DDB and PDEA last year, he said.

Sotto also cautioned the public against revealing the list of politicos involved in drug trafficking since some are under surveillance or have gone into hiding. Retaliation against law enforcers, charges of defamation or accusations of witch-hunting could also happen if the list were publicized, Sotto said.

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