Duterte won’t publish list of village officials, cops involved in illegal drugs
President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday he would no longer publish a list of thousands of village captains and policemen who were allegedly involved in illegal drugs to prevent chaos.
In a speech in Malacanang during the oath taking ceremony of newly appointed government officials, Duterte said there were about 3,600 elected barangay captains and about 6,000 policemen who were on the list.
"I don't want to publish anymore because there will be chaos in the Philippines," he said.
Duterte said he is looking for ways on how to address this problem.
"I'm trying to figure out, meeting with the military and the civilian, even our scholars, how to go about solving the problem because narco-politics has seeped in our political system," Duterte said.
He earlier revealed the names of some 150 judges, policemen, soldiers and some local officials who were allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade. He disclosed some retired and active police generals who were allegedly protectors of drug syndicates.
Duterte also shrugged off the "psychopath" brand on him by a female Filipino actress and singer amid his expletives against the United States and other international bodies.
"There was an artist who got mad at me (by calling me) a psychopath. I leave her to her constitutional right to free expression. She should enjoy that," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS
