Manila, Jan 26 : Philippine National Police chief Dionardo Carlos said on Wednesday that background checks are underway on all candidates in the May presidential election, after incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to target the “most corrupt” the day before. “Continuous background checking,” Carlos told a briefing, as quoted by Philippine newspaper Inquirer. The police will not announce the results of probes publicly but rather report them to “the leadership or our command line,” he said.
“So yes, we are studying. We are not just looking at different levels. We need to investigate who is running, what the past is so that we can properly prepare what is possible and take action to ensure peaceful elections for everyone,” the police chief added. The general election in the Philippines is scheduled for May 9.
Duterte, elected in May 2016, cannot run again as the country’s constitution prohibits a president from serving more than one term. The president favors a full-scale fight against drug addicts and those who distribute drugs. On November 20, 2021, Duterte also claimed, though not mentioning a name, that one of the candidates had used cocaine on yachts and airplanes.
