By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

While in Bacolod City earlier this week, Senator Paolo ‘Bam’ Aquino said the list of individuals reportedly connected to the illegal drug trade must be verified, especially police officers and barangay officials.
“We owe it to the people to make sure all information given to the public are true and verified,” he said.
Aquino said most of his colleagues in the senate agree with him.
He also criticized the plan by President Rodrigo Duterte to appoint barangay officials, in lieu of elections.
“By law itself, it is unconstitutional,” the senator said. “All barangay officials are required to be elected.”
Aquino said there is no law to support the president’s proposal, and questioned the basis of the policy, which he called “reverse federalism.”
Last week, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ismael Sueno confirmed Duterte is seeking to postpone barangay elections and, instead of voting, barangay officials will be appointed by the president himself, following proper consultations with city or town mayors./WDJ