KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews / 09 Dec) — Authorities nabbed a village councilor and a barangay tanod in simultaneous drug raids in Makilala, North Cotabato at around 3 a.m., Saturday.
Chief Inspector John Rick Medel, chief of the Makilala Police, identified the suspects as Elmer Petecio, 36, barangay councilor of Barangay Guangan, Makilala, and Alvin Nuho, member of Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT), also at Barangay Guangan.
Medel said they recovered from Petecio at least 15 sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu; and from Nuho, 11 sachets of shabu and an unlicensed caliber 38 revolver with live ammunition.
Medel said they raided the houses of Petecio and Nujo at Barangay Guangan two weeks after a local court here issued the search warrants.
Since October, the two were already subjects of police surveillance and monitoring for possible illegal activities, Medel stressed.
Early this year, Petecio surfaced and admitted having used shabu for some time but promised to reform.
He, however, went back to his old ways, according to Medel.
“The sachets of shabu recovered from him is one proof that indeed, he is still into illegal drugs,” said the police officer.
The simultaneous raids were led by operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Region 12, Cotabato Provincial Mobile Force Company, and the Makilala PNP. (Malu Cadelina Manar / MindaNews)