Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — President Rodrigo Duterte had “validated” information to back his charges against five senior police officials allegedly involved in illegal drugs, and he is not subjecting them to trial by publicity, his chief legal counsel said Thursday.

“Yung information being fed is wrong – palagay ko, less than .001 percent lang 'yun,” Presidential Legal Counsel Sal Panelo said. “Presidente ito eh. Kung ikaw ang Presidente, you have access (to information). Pinag-aralan na ‘yan. Na-validate na 'yan.”

[Translation: That the information being fed was wrong – I believe that’s just .001 percent. This is the President. If you are the President, you have access (to information). That has been studied. That has been validated.]

Duterte, in a nationally televised speech on the 69th anniversary of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Tuesday, named two retired police generals and three others still in the service who are allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

Those still in active duty are former Region 6 Director Bernardo Diaz, former NCRPO Director Joel Pagdilao and former Quezon City Director Edgardo Tinio. The retired officers are Vicente Loot, who is now mayor of Daanbantayan, Cebu, and former Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo.

All the officers have denied Duterte’s charges. Loot said the president may have been fed the wrong information.

Panelo downplayed fears the Duterte administration is conducting a trial by publicity against the five retired and active duty officers.

"Trial by publicity will come only 'pag inakusahan mo ang isang tao at ang media ay nilalathala lang ay 'yung nag-aakusa, at hindi pinapakinggan, hindi nilalabas 'yung panig ng naaakusahan," Panelo said.

[Translation: Trial by publicity will come only if a person is accused and the media publicizes only the side of the accuser, and the side of the accused is not heard, is not aired.]

Also read: PNP tracks more than 20 policemen 'linked' to drug trade

Sen. Gringo Honasan, in a statement Wednesday, decried the trial by publicity which the five generals are supposedly being subjected to. The senator said due process and the rule of law must be followed.

In an interview Thursday, Sen. Leila De Lima slammed Duterte's naming of the police generals allegedly involved in the drug trade, saying their identification way before an investigation could subject them to trial by publicity.

Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano also appealed to the public to give the generals a chance to defend themselves in the court, saying "prosecuting dedicated and sincere public servants in the process" should be avoided.

Panelo said the statements made by Duterte and the police generals have all been well-publicized.

"We are witness to the fact that, immediately after naming them, they went to the media and the media accepted their position. Meaning, inilathala nila (media). Meaning, walang trial by publicity. Hindi one-sided. It’s a two-sided affair," Panelo said.

[Translation: We are witness to the fact that, immediately after naming them, they went to the media and the media accepted their position. Meaning, they publicized it. Meaning there was no trial by publicity. It's not one-sided. It’s a two-sided affair.]

Panelo said those questioning Duterte’s allegations should remember that he is a lawyer who will not make baseless accusations.

“Presidente natin ‘yan. Dapat may tiwala tayo sa kanya,” he says.

[Translation: He is our President. We must trust him.]

Also read: Dela Rosa to send cops involved in drugs to Sulu, Basilan to fight Abu Sayyaf