By Philippine News Agency
MANILA -- Malacañang on Friday said judicial remedies are always available for politicians who felt aggrieved in their inclusion on the government's "narco-list" or the list of politicians allegedly involved in illegal drugs.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN)
"There is always a remedy to judicial resort for those in the list who feel they have been injured by the announcement that their names are included in the list," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a message to reporters, reacting to Leyte 3rd District Rep. Vicente “Ching” Veloso's recent pronouncement that he would file charges against those who included him on the list.
Panelo said Veloso "welcomes the filing of the administrative charge against him so he can refute his inclusion in the list".
He, meanwhile, defended President Rodrigo R. Duterte's decision to release the list.
"The individual right of an individual is subordinate to the right of the state to secure and protect itself from the wrongdoers of society when public safety is endangered apart from the people have the constitutional right to be informed on matters that concern their welfare and health," he said.
Panelo said the drug menace is a national security problem as it concerns Filipino families and society.
Duterte on Thursday night released the list of 46 local government officials allegedly linked to illegal drug trade ahead of the May 13 mid-term elections.
The President bared the drug list during the National and Regional Peace and Order Council meeting at Arcadia in Davao City.
The President said the 46 alleged narco-politicians are the names, which have been validated and vetted by government agencies.
He said there are more names, but it still needs further validation.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday filed complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against the 46 officials.