PNP monitoring barangay officials with suspected drug links

MANILA, Philippines — Police are keeping tabs on barangay officials with suspected links to illegal drugs who might run for another term in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) in October.

“Included in our monitoring are a number of barangay officials that are involved in illegal drugs,” PNP Public Information Office chief Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan told reporters in Filipino yesterday.

Also included are members of drug syndicates who might use proceeds from their nefarious activities to harass and buy votes.

Maranan said the PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) are working together in keeping a close watch on and gathering pieces of evidence against barangay officials who are into illegal drugs.

“Once we have strong evidence, we will conduct joint police operations or what we call intelligence driven operations to arrest those involved in illegal drugs,” he said.

Maranan did not give an estimate on the number of barangay officials on their drugs watchlist. “It is important that candidates with alleged links to the illegal drug trade are not elected into public office as they can use their positions in protecting drug traffickers in the community,” the PNP’s chief publicist said.

Maranan said barangay officials running in the BSKE who will take a drug test should be commended. “Their conduct of drug tests will prove that they are not using illegal drugs and that is a good example for our countrymen,” he said.

Private armed groups (PAGs) in Cordillera, though already less in number, might just be resurrected in time for October’s BSKE in October.

But Cordillera police director Brig. Gen. David Peredo said they already know them, their activities and where they are now.

Peredo said there are two “potential” PAGs being monitored in CAR, one in Abra and one in Kalinga. “We are monitoring them. They are inactive as of now, and they are not in the area,” the Cordillera police official said.

Ahead of the PAGs’ possible coming back to life ahead of the October elections, the Cordillera police are instituting measures to avert the resurrection of PAGs in the region. – Artemio Dumlao