Misamis Oriental village official nabbed during drug buy-bust

GITAGUM, Misamis Oriental – Police on Saturday arrested another village official in Misamis Oriental province on charges of involvement in the illegal drugs trade.

Dario Loretche, 50, village councilor of Matangad here, was arrested during a buy-bust operation by the police and anti-drug agents.

Loretche yielded two sachets of suspected shabu and the marked money when frisked during the buy-bust.

In 2016, Loretche, a first term councilor, had surrendered under the Philippine National Police’s Operation Tokhang.

But police officials said he did not abandon his vice and also sold drugs, prompting them to tag him as the 7th on the provincial drug watch list.

His arrest brought to three the total number of village officials police had netted in connection with the anti-illegal drugs campaign in the province this year.

In February, Johnny Denque, the village chief of Camanga in Manticao town was also arrested during a raid there.

In January, Annie Seriño, a councilor of Linangkayan in Naawan town was also arrested along with her husband and a son following a drug buy-bust.

The arrest of the village officials had apparently gave credence to President Duterte’s claim that many of those elected at the barangay level were involved in the illegal drugs trade.

This was the same reason, the President said, why he wanted villages cleared of drugs first before elections are conducted to select new officials.