ILOILO City — A village councilman and a 16-year-old senior high school student were arrested after yielding P612,000 worth of suspected shabu in an anti-illegal drugs operation in Barangay Tap-oc, Molo district early Tuesday morning, August 25.
Police identified the primary suspect as alias “Erning,” 39, an incumbent kagawad of Barangay South San Jose, Molo. Arrested alongside him was a Grade 11 student identified as alias “Raf-raf,” 16, a resident of Barangay Tap-oc.
Operatives of the Iloilo City Police Office’s City Drug Enforcement Unit (ICPO-CDEU) collared the duo around 1:45 a.m. after they allegedly sold P8,000 worth of suspected shabu to an undercover police officer.
Police recovered approximately 90 grams of the said illegal substance, with an estimated standard drug price of P612,000.
ICPO director Police Colonel Wilbert Parilla stated that CDEU personnel had placed the suspects under surveillance prior to the operation.
“When our men confirmed that the barangay official was indeed engaged in illegal drug activity, we immediately conducted the buy-bust operation,” Parilla said.
Meanwhile, South San Jose barangay captain Arnold Villoga expressed shock over the arrest, noting that Erning was an active local official and that constituents were surprised by his alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.
Both suspects face charges for violating Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
As of this writing, Erning was detained at the Iloilo City Police Station 4 while the minor was turned over to the City Social Welfare and Development Office for proper intervention and legal disposition./PN
