ILOILO City – The village head of Barangay Capuling, Dueñas, Iloilo was arrested in a drug buy-bust operation.
Ann Marsha Pojo yielded three sachets of suspected shabu valued at around P13,600.
According to Police Captain Jose Rey Pabalan, Dingle police chief, Pojo, 46, sold a sachet to a police asset for P1,000.
Pabalan described the suspect as a “high-value” drug target since she was a public official.
Pojo was placed under surveillance for a month prior to the buy-bust.
“We received information from a resident that there were people seen coming in and out of Pojo’s house. Some of her friends were former inmates linked to illegal drugs,” said Pabalan.
Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 6 and the Dingle police force around 1:05 p.m. on Oct. 25.
For his part, Colonel Gilbert Gorero, the province’s top cop, expressed alarm over the arrest of the barangay official.
“Barangay officials were supposed to spearhead the fight against illegal drugs. But how can we solve this problem when they are also involved,” Gorero said.
He also warned all public officials in the province engaging in illegal drugs.
“You have to face arrest. Our Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. wants Iloilo province as a drug-free place,”Gorero said./PN
