Village councilor nabbed for unlicensed gun, illegal drugs

BATANGAS CITY, Philippines—Police arrested a barangay (village) councilor for carrying illegal drugs and an unlicensed firearm Wednesday morning in his house in Bauan, Batangas.

Superintendent Christopher Birung, chief of the Batangas province police intelligence branch, identified the suspect as Michael Caringal, 28, village councilor of Barangay Manhinao Uno, Bauan.

Birung said Caringal yielded a sachet of shabu (methampetamine hydrochloride) and a 9 mm cal. pistol without a license when he was arrested at 6 a.m. by virtue of a search warrant issued by Judge Ruben Galvez of the Regional Trial Court Branch 3, Batangas City.

Caringal will be charged for violating Republic Act 9165 (Illegal Drugs Act) and RA 8295 (Illegal Possession of Firearm law).