2 barangay chairmen nabbed for drugs

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga, Philippines – Two barangay chairmen were arrested while another escaped in separate anti-illegal drug operations in Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija yesterday.

Central Luzon police director Chief Superintendent Aaron Aquino identified the barangay chairmen as Joel Alonzo of Barangay Bantug and Jaime Dumandan of Barangay Bintegan.

Aquino said Benedicto Monses, chairman of Barangay Bulala, escaped.

Reports said a team of police officers from the Cuyapo police and provincial police public safety company served a search warrant on the residence of Alonzo at around 7:30 a.m.

Team leader Superintendent Felix Castro Jr. said they recovered four plastic sachets said to contain shabu and bullets for a 9mm pistol from Alonzo’s house.

Two hours later, the team served another search warrant on Monses’ residence, where they allegedly recovered three plastic sachets believed to contain shabu. 

The same group of officers conducted a similar search on the house of Dumandan and allegedly seized three plastic sachets said to contain shabu. 

The warrant was issued by Judge Celso Baguio of the Gapan City Regional Trial Court.

Village officials and local journalists accompanied the police officers during the raid, the report said.