Kuratong Baleleng couple’s house seized in Cebu

MANILA, Philippines — The house of a couple suspected to be members of the Kuratong Baleleng drug ring was seized in Cebu City on Monday.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director general Wilkins Villanueva and representatives from the Anti-Money Laundering Council implemented a freeze order issued by the Court of Appeals on the couple’s two-story house in Barangay Guadalupe.

Villanueva said the house, which is owned by Artemio Salas and his wife Daisy is worth P5 million. The couple has a standing arrest warrant for illegal drugs.

“By freezing their properties, these drug personalities will no longer be able to use their assets earned from illegal transactions to run their operations,” he said.

Villanueva said the Salas couple also have properties in Ozamiz City and Maasin in Southern Leyte as well numerous bank accounts, which have been frozen.

“Our next move is to file for the forfeiture of the properties... so that the government can use the proceeds in the implementation of its anti-illegal drugs campaign or rehabilitation and reintegration program,” Villanueva said.