The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Malacanang Spokesman Ernesto Abella said the Palace favors mandatory drug testing for government employees to regain the trust of the public.
In the midst of the Duterte administration’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs, calls for government employees to undergo mandatory testing for illegal-drug use are mounting.
Abella said the proposal was a welcome development “just to prove to the people na lahat ng mga tao natin ay maayos naman (Just to prove to the people that all government workers are proper),” he told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday.
“That should not be a deterrent. It’s not a question of exposing but it’s a question of expressing; it’s a symbolic act. It’s a very powerful symbolic act na pinapakita natin na tayong mga nagsisilbi sa gobyerno ay maayos na mga tao ‘yan, and they are people worthy of our trust (It is a very powerful symbolic act that would show that we in government are proper and are worthy of trust).”
He said the priority of President Duterte was to regain public trust with regards to public service.
Asked if the President had any information about politicians who used drug money in the last elections, Abella said part of the President’s message was that he doesn’t want the country to fall into narcopolitics.
According to Abella, drug money was apparently involved in the last elections because there are mayors who acted independently of their parties during the campaign, using their own money instead of asking for the support of their parties.
In his announcement last week about how drug lords operate in the country, the President said local politicians, particularly mayors, were “persons of interest” in his administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.
He also revealed the connivance of some policemen with Chinese triad members to distribute drugs in the country.
In a related development, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) will be monitoring the movement of the five police generals identified by the President as having links to the illegal drugs trade, in case they attempt to leave country.
Lawyer Tonette Bucasas – Mangrobang, bureau spokesman, said that BI officers in all ports in the country had been ordered to implement departure protocols.
“Our officers will implement strict departure protocols ‘yun kailangan ng travel authority from their department, mga ganun requirement,” she said.
But, she made clear there was no hold-departure order (HDO) issued against the police officials.
On Tuesday, Duterte named retired PNP Deputy Director-General Marcelo Garbo Jr., Director Joel Pagdilao, former National Capital Region Police Office chief; Chief Supt. Bernardo Diaz, former Western Visayas regional director, Chief Supt. Edgardo Tinio, former Quezon City Police District director, and retired Chief Supt. Vicente “Vic” Loot, who is now mayor of Daanbantayan town in Cebu, for allegedly being involved in illegal drugs. They all denied the charge.
Mangrobang said the bureau would know what to do in case the PNP officials tried to leave the country.
Mangrobang also said that they were checking on the records of a certain Peter Lim. The President, a day after tagging the five police generals, named Lim, Peter Co, alias WuTuan, and Herbert Colangco as notorious drug lords protected by Garbo. Both Go and Colangco are currently detained at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinglupa City.
She said the bureau would coordinate with the PNP and ask police officials concerned all available additional information on Lim.
She revealed that the bureau’s records contained at least 4,000 people named Peter Lim, so the bureau would want to seek further clarification on the Peter Lim, also known as Jaguar, named by Mr. Duterte before placing him on the bureau’s watch list.
“They (PNP) may have other information on his (Lim’s) identity if they are going to put him on the watch list. We’ve checked around 4,000 plus (on our list) with the same name. It’s a common name. So, we’d like to request an image,” Mangrobang said. Lim is reported to be a member of the Triad and is allegedly behind the illegal drugs trade in the Visayas. He is also reported still able to shuttle between China and the Philippines, prompting Mr. Duterte to warn Lim that if he ever sets foot at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport again, he would be killed. With a PNA report.