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BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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MANILA – The Philippines has become a “narco-politics state,” what with many law enforcers and local government officials involved in the illegal drug trade, President Rodrigo Duterte said.
During a speech at the ceremonial switch-on of an Iloilo-based coal-fired power plant in Malacañang, Duterte brandished a thick pile of paper — allegedly lists of around 5,000 public officials linked to drugs.
“This is the drug industry of the Philippines. Lahat iyan pangalan,” he said. “Assuming publicly that I can kill them, I would not have the time and resources to do it.”
Duterte specifically called out barangay captains, most of whom he said get into the illicit trade due to “easy money.”
“We were already a narco-politics state, given that so many thousands of policemen, municipal mayors and [barangay captains are] involved,” the President said.
Duterte had signed a law postponing the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections for fear that “drug money” will be used in the electoral process.
He also criticized Sen. Leila de Lima, a vocal critic. “The portals of the national government to the contamination of narco-politics [were] opened by, sadly, de Lima. Siya iyong unang nagpunta doon sa…”
De Lima was accused of getting protection money from drug lords at the New Bilibid Prison and using it to fund her senatorial bid in the May elections.
Before joining the Senate, she was an election lawyer, a Commission on Human Rights commissioner and Justice secretary./PN
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