Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II lamented on Wednesday the “trial by publicity” on the five former and active police generals earlier named by President Rodrigo Duterte as coddlers of drug lords.

In a statement, Honasan emphasized that due process and the rule of law should prevail.

“The names are immaterial as long as due process and the rule of law are applied; and until the final verdict on their guilt or innocence, they should not be subjected to trial by publicity dahil kawawa naman ang mga pamilya at anak na walang kinalaman dito,” he said.

READ: Duterte names top cops allegedly involved in illegal drugs trade

Honasan issued the statement even as fellow Senator Panfilo Lacson said that he had no reason to doubt the validity of the information of the President in naming the top cops allegedly involved in illegal drugs trade.

Lacson said that Duterte must have had “good basis” in divulging the names of the generals.

READ: Lacson has no doubt on Duterte’s info on 5 generals

“All I’m saying is, since the President himself mentioned those two names among the five, he must have good basis in what he divulged, especially if he had a different source of that information,” Lacson said on Wednesday.

Lacson said that he received information on two of the five generals during the campaign period.

In his speech during the 69th anniversary of the Air Force, Duterte named retired Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo; retired Chief Supt. and now Daanbantayan town mayor Vicente Loot; Chief Supt. Joel Pagdilao; Chief Supt. Edgardo Tinio; and Chief Supt. Bernardo Diaz as drug lord coddlers.

“I am compelled by my sense of duty to tell you everything, especially the policemen who are involved in drugs. One way or another [they are] contributing to the deterioration of the law and order of the country,” Duterte said.

All five generals denied the President’s claim. They told separate interviews that they were willing to face any investigation to clear their names.

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