Son of ex-lawmaker nabbed in Iligan City

Erik Dominique “Boji” Badelles. Photo: PDEA

ILIGAN CITY – Members of the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Northern Mindanao arrested the son of former Lanao del Norte’s First District Rep. Alipio Badelles in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Palao on Friday.

Erik Dominique Badelles, also known as Boji, was caught after PDEA’s asset bought a sachet of a substance believed to be shabu amounting to P1,000.

PDEA said for a year now, the younger Badelles had been a “target drug personality” after the agency confirmed his “reengagement” in the illegal drugs trade.

The same PDEA team, who nabbed him in Cagayan de Oro in 2014, arrested Badelles last night. The case was dismissed then due to technical reasons.

“He was in the list 4 years ago until he was arrested. He is again on the list this year for the second time. Any person on the list had been considered high-value target,” PDEA said.

Agent Wax, however, clarified that Badelles was just a user. He sold his personal supplies occasionally only to “trusted friends.”

PDEA members recovered two big and two small sachets of a substance believed to be shabu, assorted drug paraphernalia, and P1,000.

Badelles, who is now in the custody of PDEA 10, will face charges of violation of Article 5 of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

Badelles is the second personality in Iligan arrested after the Iligan City Police Station changed leadership.

On July 28, PDEA arrested Antonio Anduyan, Jr., brother of Chief Supt. Rolando Anduyan, now chief of the Manila Police District.

Anduyan, in an interview with the Inquirer, was quick to disown his sibling.