24 more celebrities added on drug list—PNP

NCRPO director Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde. INQUIRER FILE

Twenty four more names of celebrities—including television hosts and musicians—have been added to the Metro Manila police’s list of drug personalities.

A total of 54 famous TV personalities were found to have alleged links in the illegal drug trade, according to Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director.

“After a workshop by the intelligence community in NCRPO, other personalities were identified and included in the watch list. The latest is the one submitted to the PNP (Philippine National Police) chief yesterday,” Albayalde said in a text message to INQUIRER.net on Wednesday.

Last Monday, PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said he submitted 30 names of celebrities involved in drugs to President Rodrigo Duterte. Dela Rosa said it’s up to the President if he would publicly identify the TV personalities.

READ: ‘Bato’: 30 celebrities on drug list submitted to Duterte

“The celebrities on the list are famous. The list includes those formerly involved in drugs. Some of them came from the music industry,” Albayalde said in a separate interview at the Manila Overseas Press Club (MOPC) on Tuesday night.

Asked if there were also TV hosts on the list, Albayalde answered in the affirmative.

But Albayalde said the validation process on the alleged involvement of the celebrities on drugs will still continue because the list was based on intelligence information.

READ: Robin Padilla’s appeal to Du30: Don’t reveal drug users in show biz

“These are intelligence information. When you say intelligence information, it can be true or not. Most of the information came from arrested drug suspects so this as to be validated thoroughly,” he said.

“If ever these information are positive and validated, we can file a case or file a search warrant,” Albayalde added. IDL