ILOILO – Six persons were arrested on May 27 in the municipalities of Tubungan, Santa Barbara and Barotac Viejo for violating the liquor ban when this province was still under general community quarantine.
Beginning today, however, the province is shifting to modified community quarantine. The liquor ban would be lifted but buying liquor would be regulated.
In Tubungan, two men yielded 20 boxes of liquor in Barangay Teniente Benito at around 3 p.m. on Wednesday last week. They were Roger Mirasol, 49, and Ronel Ilisin, 28, both of Zone 1, Barangay Calumpang, Molo, Iloilo City.
Policemen stopped the men’s tricycle for inspection and discovered what the boxes really contained.
At around 3:30 p.m. in Barangay San Sebastian, Santa Barbara, policemen apprehended 32-year-old Wilsan Broniola and 25-year-old Michael Marpa both of Barangay Ungka 1, Pavia town. They were transporting 20 boxes of liquor in a pickup.
According to Santa Barbara police chief Major Raymond Celoso, the suspects did not stop when cops flagged them down at a checkpoint in Barangay Cabugao Norte, thus they were chased.
Broniola and Marpa were intercepted at the checkpoint in Barangay San Sebastian.
At around 5 p.m. two more persons were arrested, this time in Barangay Natividad, Barotac Viejo. Pick-up riding Erwin Crabajosa and Dante Carugda both of Barangay Merced, Banate town yielded 20 boxes of liquor.
All the six suspects were taken to the lockup cells of the police stations of the towns where they were apprehended. They would be charged with violation of Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code (disobedience) and Republic Act 11332 in relation to Executive Order No. 118 of Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. ordering the liquor ban.
Iloilo police director Colonel Paul Kenneth Lucas urged the public to respect the liquor ban. Police checkpoints were being intensified to enforce the prohibition, he added.
“Ang mga pulis natin nakabantay 24/7 sa mga daan to make sure walang alak na makapuslit,” said Lucas./PN
