VIENTIANE”•President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday the source of his “narco list” was former President Fidel Ramos, and that Ramos gave him the list to goad him to run for President.
Speaking before the Filipino community here, Duterte recalled how Ramos tried to convince him even if he was still Mayor of Davao City to pursue the country’s highest position because of the illegal drug trade.
“President Ramos went to Davao four times. He said I must run because it was about time that Mindanao had its own President,” Duterte said.
“That’s what we discussed, and you can ask him. He’s still alive.”
Duterte said Ramos’ second visit impressed him the most because he showed him the list of police generals and other officials involved in the illegal drug trade.
“He was strongly urging me to run. He said I was the only one who could stop [the trade in illegal drugs],” Duterte said.
“Then he showed me a list. It was very thick. I haven’t released all [the names yet] because I’m still validating it.
“He said ‘If you do not run, who will run? If you keep on refusing, this country will go to the dogs’.”
Duterte said Ramos talked to him two more times to convince him to run for President, and that he gave him at least P5 million from anonymous sources to help him finance his campaign.
The Department of Justice, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and even the police had earlier denied giving Duterte his list of narco-generals and executives whom he named to shame them.
Duterte vowed to name more officials involved in the illegal drug trade.