
Barangay chairman arrested in Cagayan sting
A 39-YEAR-OLD chairman of a small barangay in Ilagan City in Isabela was arrested by the local police for his alleged involvement in illegal drug trafficking, Police Regional Office 2 director Brig. Gen. Antonio P. Marallag Jr. announced yesterday.
Joseph Uy Jr., the chairman of Bgy. Sta. Isabel Sur, yielded a plastic sachet containing more or less one gram of suspected shabu worth P6,800 and a cal. 9mm semi-automatic pistol with magazine containing nine live ammunition during the sting conducted inside the Bgy. Cabisera 14-16 Hall in Ilagan City 11:30 a.m. last Sunday, the official said.
Marallag said that undercover officers from the Ilagan City Police Station spearheaded the anti-narcotics operation targeting the public official, with the support of the local Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Isabela Police Provincial Office Drug Enforcement Unit.
The suspect’s white Mitsubishi Montero with plate no. IAC 9162 was impounded by the local police, who also recovered the buy-bust money composed of six marked P1,000 bills during the anti-drug operation, the inventory of which was witnessed by required government witnesses.
The suspect is facing criminal charges for sale and possession of prohibited drugs under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and violation of RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013 in relation to the Comelec-imposed nationwide gun ban to keep peace and order during the May 12 National and Local Elections.
Marallag said that the Ilagan City police has also requested the conduct of a drug test on the arrested elected local government official as part of the ongoing investigation into his case.
The recovered pieces of drug evidence were submitted to the Ilagan City Forensic Unit for examination and safekeeping.