OPOL, Misamis Oriental – Another village official here was arrested over the weekend due to his alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.
Authorities said that 44-year-old Hermito Barangot Laid, chairman of Barangay Patag, was not included in the list of drug personalities in this province but had been under surveillance because of his alleged involvement in the illicit activity.
Sr. Insp. James Bastatas, head of the police’s drug enforcement unit in the second district of this province, said the barangay chairman was caught on Sunday with nine sachets of “shabu” during a search of his home.
Police further said that Laid, who was running for re-election in the village polls this May, also yielded a fragmentation grenade.
Laid was the sixth village official in this province arrested for illegal drugs since the start of the year.
In January, village councilor Annie Sereño of Linangkayan in Naawan, was arrested together with her husband and son. Sereño and her husband were able to post bail for their temporary liberty. She is now vying for barangay chairman.
In February, Johnny Dengue, the village chairman of Camanga in Manticao town, was arrested and now detained at the Misamis Oriental provincial jail in Cagayan de Oro City.
In March, Francis Ian Tupag, the village chairman of Pontacon in Initao, was arrested and have since posted bail. No other information was available about him as of this posting.
In April, village councilors Daroy Loretche and Joseph Christian Lim of barangays Matangad and Poblacion in Initao were arrested. Loretche was arrested in a buy-bust operation and is now in the Initao Jail. Lim, meanwhile, had filed his certificate of candidacy for re-election but withdrew after his arrest. /kga