BACOLOD City Police Office (BCPO) acting director Colonel Noel Aliño said Wednesday, May 31, 2023, that he will wait for the release of the official lists of the 76 barangay officials in Western Visayas who were allegedly involved in illegal drugs.
“We will wait for the official lists and we are hopeful that our barangay officials here are not involved in illegal drugs,” Aliño said.
This, after Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Benjamin Acorda earlier said at least 430 barangay officials in the country were included on the PNP drug list.
Acorda said Western Visayas has the highest number of barangay officials allegedly involved in illegal drug activities.
Aliño said the PNP will also validate the lists again, and then they will be forwarded to the regional offices.
“But in case we have barangay officials included in the PNP drug lists, it’s also the time to clear their names. It’s like the police, if they are suspected of being involved in illegal drugs, they are also given time to clear their names. Hopefully, we are ‘zero’ here,” he said.
He added he is also open to assist the barangay officials to clear their names.