Retired cop linked to Parojinogs arrested in Misamis Oriental

LUGAIT, Misamis Oriental — Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Northern Mindano (Region 10) arrested on Tuesday a retired police officer in Purok Mabini, Barangay Poblacion in this town here on Tuesday.

Ruben Vilbar, 58, served in the Philippine National Police (PNP) for 29 years before retiring in 2016 with the rank of senior police officer 4 (SPO4).

Vilbar, a trusted partner of Ozamiz City Councilor Reynaldo Parojinog, is considered a high value target, being 14th in the PDEA list of drug personalities in the region, according to Wilkins Villanueva, PDEA regional director. Vilbar served the PNP for 29 years.

“Isa siya sa mga trusted cohort ni [Ricardo] Ardot Parojinog. He has been into selling of [illegal] drugs since 2014 [two years before he retired from PNP]. Isa siya sa mga ‘nakalista’ na nasa serbisyo pa,” Villanueva said.

He described Vilbar as the “distributor” in Parojinog’s drug trade.

Villanueva also said Parojinog had been a frequent visitor at Vilbar’s house, where the search warrant was served against him.

The search warrant was issued by a Regional Trial Court in Cagayan de Oro City.