Ex-president Ramos gave list of police, politicians with alleged drug links: Duterte
President Rodrigo Duterte has disclosed that a list of police generals and other narco-politicians allegedly involved in illegal drugs came from former President Fidel Ramos.
In a speech on Monday night before the Filipino community in Laos, where he is attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and related summits, Duterte said he was shown the list when Ramos was still convincing him to run for president.
He said Ramos went to Davao City four times to convince him to run in the May 2016 elections.
During his first visit, Ramos did not show any list, but only told him, "you must run because it's about time that Mindanao would have its own president," he said.
"The second time, he was strongly urging me to run. He said, 'you're the only one who can stop this.' Then he showed me a list, the names of the generals who were into drugs were there. Even the police," he said, noting that the list was very thick and he has not yet divulged everyone because they are still being validated.
Duterte said Ramos told him if he would continue to refuse from running for the presidency, the country "will go to the dogs."
When Duterte took his oath of office on June 30 in Malacanang following a landslide victory, he thanked Ramos, who was present, for supporting his candidacy.
Aside from five retired and active police generals, Duterte also revealed over 150 names of judges, local politicians, policemen, soldiers and other government officials who were allegedly involved in illegal drugs.
Duterte has declared all-out war against the drug menace and the death toll is close to 3,000 with less than three months in office. Celerina Monte
