Puerto Princesa vice mayor’s home yields drugs, guns in raid

Puerto Princesa City Vice Mayor Luis Marcaida during the raid at his house early Monday by elements of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group. INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON / REDEMPTO ANDA

Puerto Princesa Vice Mayor Luis Marcaida was arrested by authorities in a drug raid at his home early Monday.

Joint operatives from the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group and the local police recovered sachets of shabu and firearms during the raid at Marcaida’s house along Jacana Road, Barangay Bancao-Bancao, Puerto Princesa City, at about 6 a.m., a report from the PNP said.

Authorities seized 30 sachets of white cyrstalline substance of suspected methampethamine hydrochloride (shabu) wrapped in a plastic pack.

They also seized a .22-caliber rifle, three rifle grenades, a fragmentation grenade, and four .45-cal. pistols.

The drug raid was based on a search warrant issued by Hon. Reynaldo Alhambra, Executive Judge, City of Manila, the report said.

Police said the raid was witnessed by Barangay Chairperson Marilou Gumangan of Bancao- Bancao, Barangay Chairman Francisco Gabuco of San Pedro, and a member of media.

Marcaida had previously been identified by the PNP as a “high value target” in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

The vice mayor also has an ongoing legal dispute with Mayor Lucilo Bayron over the city’s mayoralty post pending before the Office of the Ombudsman. CBB