ILOILO – Elections alone cannot rid barangays of officials involved in illegal drugs, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said, stressing that vigorous law enforcement — not the postponement or conduct of the November 2, 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) — is the real solution.
“Ang solution to that is not really an election, law enforcement ang kinahanglan sina,” Defensor said when asked whether the polls could help replace barangay officials linked to illegal drugs in Iloilo province.
Defensor acknowledged that elections could help remove erring officials, but warned that relying on the ballot box would not solve the problem. Authorities, he said, must enforce the law against those involved in illegal activities regardless of whether elections push through.
Defensor previously warned that barangay officials caught in illegal drugs face aggravated liability and harsher penalties, calling it a serious breach of public trust with grave legal consequences.
He emphasized that barangay officials are expected to know that involvement in illegal drugs carries stiffer penalties.
Violation of sections 5 and 11 (sale and possession of dangerous drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, carry penalties ranging from life imprisonment to death and fines from P500,000 to P10 million.
Defensor said the provincial government is intensifying coordination with the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and other law enforcement agencies to address the province’s illegal drug problem.
The governor also revealed ongoing discussions with law enforcement agencies on establishing small operation centers in ports across the province to strengthen monitoring and intelligence validation.
Early this year, several barangay officials and were arrested in police buy-bust operations such as those in the towns of Janiuay, San Dionisio and Dingle.
This prompted the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Iloilo to push for a province-wide random drug testing of all barangay officials. This sweeping crackdown seeks to allay growing concerns over alleged drug links within grassroots leadership.
DILG-Iloilo provincial director Engr. Carmelo Orbista said the proposal is now being studied in coordination with the Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) and the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) – Iloilo Chapter to ensure funding and broader implementation.
“This will entail funding of course, (but) ang opisina namon wala man gid sang funding so we need the support of our local government units (LGUs),” Orbista said in a previous interview.
Orbista admitted the situation is “medyo alarming,” noting that even the Philippine National Police continues to monitor some barangay officials for possible involvement in illegal drugs.
DILG-Iloilo, he added, was also reviewing the parameters for declaring barangays as drug-cleared, a framework last set in 2017, to determine whether stricter standards are needed.
Only one barangay — Barangay Bolaqueña in Estancia — remains undeclared as drug-cleared, largely due to challenges in areas with numerous National Housing Authority units.
“I think i-review naton kay lantawon pa naton ang kun ano ang mahimo naton nga para mas ma-istriktahan pa gid or mas stringent pa gid ang aton nga pag-conduct sining mga barangay drug clearing program,” Orbista said./PN
