By Aaron Recuenco
Director Oscar Albayalde, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), today urged the residents of Metro Manila to report to the police any person with links to illegal drugs who would file a certificate of candidacy for Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
National Capital Region Police Office chief C/Supt. Oscar David Albayalde (CAMILLE ANTE / MANILA BULLETIN)
Albayalde said they need the cooperation of the public in the barangays since they are the ones who know who among the residents in their respective barangays have links to illegal drugs trade.
"If they know someone who is running for any elective post in the barangay elections, then they should inform the law enforcement agencies or probably intelligence operatives whom they know so that we can validate it," Albayalde said.
"This is to prevent those people with links to illegal drugs from being elected," he added.
So far, Albayalde said there are less than barangay officials who are in the drug watchlist in Metro Manila.
But he said he is seeking public cooperation to identify more, especially those who are still on the planning stage of seeking elective barangay posts on May 14.
"We have barangay captains, barangay councilors and even barangay tanod who are in the watchlist. But our validation is continuous," Albayalde said.
The Duterte administration is keeping an eye on barangay officials with drug links.
Earlier, Interior Secretary Eduard Año warned that those with drug links should not even dare to run for public office in next month's barangay polls.