BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
ILOILO City – A village chief, his wife and nephew were arrested in an anti-illegal drugs operation of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Barangay Dugwacan, Banate, Iloilo.
Arrested were Dugwacan barangay captain Roger Belarde, wife Respe and nephew Richie.
They were collared around 5 p.m. on Sunday. PDEA secured a search warrant against the Belardes from Judge Rogelio Amador of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 66.
PDEA-6 director Paul Ledesma said Belarde’s wife was arrested for conspiring in maintaining a drug den while their nephew committed a violation for visiting a drug den.
The Belardes were detained at the Banate police station.
PDEA recovered 11 sachets of shabu with a total street value of P50,000, an unlicensed 12-gauge shotgun, assorted ammunitions and two cellular phones.
Ledesma said Belarde was the ninth barangay captain in Region 6 arrested since last year for illegal drugs./PN
