ILOILO — The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) is expanding its anti-illegal drugs campaign, with more elected barangay officials now under surveillance and lined up for possible operations, following the recent arrest of two village chairmen for suspected large-scale drug trading.
IPPO director Colonel Bayani Razalan said several barangay officials, particularly in northern Iloilo, are already on the police target list, as authorities step up intelligence gathering and asset-building to penetrate illegal drug networks operating at the village level.
“Naghahanap lang tayo ng assets na maka-transact sa kanila,” Razalan said.
Just this month, two barangay chairmen were arrested in separate buy-bust operations.
On January 7, police seized more than P2.7 million worth of suspected shabu and dried marijuana leaves from Barangay Canauili chairman Jeguer “Junjun” Verbal, 51, in Janiuay town.
Confiscated from the suspect were 410 grams of alleged shabu with a standard drug price of P2,788,000 and 8.2 grams of dried marijuana leaves valued at about P4,100.
A week later, 39-year-old Ed Martin Gonzaga Alconga, the barangay chairman of Tuble, San Dionisio town, was arrested after yielding 950 grams of shabu worth P6.5 million.
Both suspects were charged for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Razalan directed all police chiefs across the province to closely monitor the movements of suspected drug personalities in their respective areas and to immediately conduct operations once sufficient evidence is established.
The intensified drive, he said, underscores IPPO’s commitment to dismantle drug syndicates and hold accountable even elected officials who betray public trust./PN
