MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said the inclusion of politicians in the “narco-list” released by President Rodrigo Duterte won’t affect their candidacy in the 2019 midterm elections.
“Ang puwede lang ma-disqualify ay ‘yung may final conviction,” says Comelec spokesman James Jimenez in an interview with GMA News TV’s Balitanghali.
He added: “Makakaapekto ito sa desisyon ng botante pero sa pagkakakanditatura pero officially walang epekto dahil ang narco-list is a list of suspects. Hindi ‘yan list of convictions.”
Jimenez also explained that a politician will only be disqualified once all the processes, even until the Supreme Court, are made and finished.
Duterte on Thursday evening released the narco-list to serve as guide for voters in the upcoming midterm polls. The politicians mentioned were already slapped with administrative charges before the Office of the Ombudsman.
From the 46 local officials mentioned, five were from Western Visayas – former mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog (Iloilo City), mayors Salagunting Betita (Carles, Iloilo), Mariano Malones (Maasin, Iloilo) and Julius Pacificador (Hamtic, Antique), and Vice Mayor Ariel Alagos (Culasi, Antique).
Among the five, four were candidates in the 2019 midterm polls. Alagos is running for Antique mayor, Pacificador for Culasi vice mayor, Maloles for Carles vice mayor, and Betita for Carles mayor./PN
