Today is the start of the campaign period for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections. With the minimum number of campaign days that end on May 12, candidates are naturally busy maximizing each day.
If the rules as quoted by Provincial Election Officer, Atty. Ferdinand Gujilde are strictly followed, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is already barred from divulging additional names of barangay officials allegedly involved in illegal drug trade starting today and within the campaign period.
Naming candidates as allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade this time is considered as partisan political activity, an act that promotes the victory or defeat of a candidate directly or indirectly.
This means that the names given by PDEA last Monday were the first and the last. No more follow ups. PDEA has only up to yesterday to continue exposing the names of those involved to “guide” the voters. Otherwise, the PDEA will violate the laws relative to the elections.
For Cebu there are only three who were included: Ramonette Durano of Danao City, Marc Ferdinand Bas of Talisay City and Bibiano Cabaron of Ronda town. PDEA claimed that the list was a combination of validated watchlists from the PNP, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and the Intelligence service of the AFP.
One may be tempted to question the method through which the list is based. How is it related to the “drug free barangay” declarations madness? No more pushers and no more users are among the reasons for declaration. Pag-sure mo, as the popular expression goes. The proliferation of drugs is so widespread that it makes the narco list looks like a consuelo, if not funny and ridiculous.
If the intention of exposing the narco-lists is to guide the voters, why were their names on the lists not running for public office? Why were the three names from Cebu not candidates?
Why were the names of barangay officials arrested by PDEA for illegal drugs not included? How would they react to the comments of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Mandaue City Mayor Luigie Quisumbing that they are in a quandary on why none in the said cities included in the watchlist?I hope that the people from PDEA would reflect hard on the fact that the revelation of the narco-list damages not only the personalities mentioned on it but also stains the agency’s name. This is evident by the countless questions of people from different walks of life. Most of them, if not all, are reluctant to believe that there is only a slim number in the list.
The mystery is getting deeper.
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