2 village chiefs, 4 others nabbed in Davao Sur drug raid

BANSALAN, DAVAO DEL SUR – Two village chiefs here were allegedly caught in possession of illegal drugs and firearms during a Friday dawn raid in their houses.

Bitaog Barangay Captain Glymapher Ayoc and Buenavista Barangay Captain Samuel Dicdican, who were arrested in their respective houses in separate raids, however, denied that the illegal substance and firearms allegedly found by the police were theirs.

Police from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion stormed their houses around 4 a.m. Friday reportedly to serve a search warrant issued by Judge Oscar Noel Jr. of the Regional Trial Court Branch 35 in General Santos City for alleged violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Police Supt. Maximo Sebastian, who led the raiding team, said they recovered two sachets of alleged shabu (crystal meth), a .45 caliber pistol, and a homemade shotgun from Ayoc, and three sachets of the illegal substance from Dicdican.

Ayoc vehemently denied owning the seized illegal drugs allegedly found inside a wallet in his room. He said he had stopped using drugs after President Duterte assumed office in 2016.

Dicdican also said he had stopped using the substance some three years ago and even underwent a drug test with the supervision of the police years ago to clear his name.

Mildred Romero, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director for Davao del Sur, said the suspects were in their drug watchlist.

The Bansalan raids were among the nine simultaneous dawn raids conducted by the police in Davao del Sur on Friday.

Of the seven personalities targeted in Digos City, only four were arrested while three others were able to escape.

Police Senior Inspector Grace Jamila de Castro, Davao del Sur police spokesperson, said she was still waiting for the final reports from the operations. Eldie Aguirre, Inquirer Mindanao