BACOLOD City – There are 26 village officials in Negros Occidental who are now under the observation of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
PDEA regional director Wardley Getalla confirmed that five village chiefs and 21 village councilmen in the province are suspected to be involved in illegal drug activities.
Two of these village chiefs – one a suspected drug user while the other, a suspected drug protector – are from Bacolod, according to Getalla.
The rest are from across Negros Occidental but the PDEA Region 6 chief did not further give details.
If allegations hurled against the village officials are verified, Getalla said their names will be added in PDEA’s drug list.
Administrative charges will also be filed against them, he stressed.
Moreover, PDEA has urged the public not to support village officials who are linked to illegal drugs.
Earlier this week, PDEA released a list of village officials who are allegedly involved with drugs.
A total of 207 village officials across the country were included in the list.
Of the number, 90 were village chiefs while 117 were councilmen.
Only one village official from Western Visayas was in the list – village chief Gemma Calzado of Kasingkasing, Molo, Iloilo City./PN
