Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 25) — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is disclosing the names of barangay officials in the so-called narco list or drug watch list at the orders of President Rodrigo Duterte.

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino on Wednesday said Duterte gave the orders Tuesday and confirmed that 211 barangay officials are on the list.

He said the list will be released to the public Friday.

"The list came from all intelligence units. These 211 are validated, (it is) confirmed they are involved in illegal drugs," Aquino told CNN Philippines.

Of this number, 89 are barangay chairmen while the rest are councilmen (kagawad), Aquino told CNN Philippines.

He said authorities are building up cases against these drug-linked officials, making sure they have strong evidence against them.

Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde welcomes the disclosure of the narco list.

"We support his decision. To provide our electorate a chance to choose and decide who to vote," he said.

The Interior Department has said a task force will be created to investigate barangay officials linked to drugs.

The impending release of the narco list comes in the wake of the election period. The campaign period for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections is on May 4 to May 12; elections are on May 14.

Elections and drug money

Duterte has warned on a number of occasions that drug money may fund the barangay elections.

Aquino on Wednesday said they have not found evidence proving the President's allegation.

"[But] we all know that since the very beginning noon pa (even before) drug money is being circulated to ensure the winning of the candidates hindi lang sa local, kundi sa national elections," he said.

The barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections were initially scheduled for October 2016 but President Rodrigo Duterte called for its postponement to avoid drug funds in the campaign. The polls were moved to October 2017, then to May 2018.

In December 2016, Duterte mentioned a narco list that included a number of barangay officials. He then called for the appointment rather than election of officials.

The House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms denied the request, but agreed to move the elections to May 2018.