FILE PHOTO
DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan — A village chief in Malasiqui town in Pangasinan province was arrested in an Oct. 24 buy-bust operation.
Boyet Geronino, 35, Barangay Potiocan chairman, was caught selling a sachet of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) to an undercover policeman in Barangay Bolaoit, also in Malasiqui, at 3:50 p.m. on Monday.
Geromino was the fourth village chief arrested for drug trafficking in the Ilocos region since July, said Jeoffrey Tacio, director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the region.
Roger Sibayan, Barangay Rissing chairman in Luna town in La Union province, was the first village chief to be arrested, on Aug. 10. Four days later, Al Aguibay, Barangay Virvira chairman in Carasi town in Ilocos Norte province, was caught by the police.
On Sept. 21, Lamberto Villa, Barangay Tayambani chairman in San Carlos City, was killed after he allegedly fired at arresting police officers.
Seized from Geronimo were a P500-bill and a motorcycle, which he allegedly used to transport illegal drugs. SFM/rga