Barangay officials held for shabu

ILIGAN CITY — A barangay chairman and a councilor were arrested by police and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in separate raids on Saturday.

Arrested in Purok Coca-Cola, Sitio Camague, Barangay Tubod here were Faisal Dimnatang, 37, Barangay Chairman and president of the Association of Barangay Councils in Tagoloan town in Lanao del Norte; and Tata Sangolingan Angote, barangay councilor in Pasayanono, Matungo, Lanao del Norte.

A third suspect identified as Fairosah Dimnatang, 24, was also arrested.

Confiscated from the suspects were some 22 sachets of suspected shabu, drug paraphernalia and cash amounting to P800.

Police said that after two weeks of monitoring plus a positive "test-buy", the joint team of PDEA and police led by Superintendent Rene Orbe and chief Inspector Ferdinand Bartolome obtained a search warrant from Judge Valerio Salazer of the Regional Trial Court Branch 6 here and conducted the raids.

The suspects reportedly own several luxury utility vehicles and publicly displayed their wealth, which was disproportionate to their income as barangay officials.

Last month, the PDEA-police team also arrested and jailed one Ansali Rabal of Pindulunan, Baloi, Lanao del Norte for illegal possession of some 300 grams of shabu.

The PDEA warned that Purok Coca-Cola in this city has become the new dumping area for illegal drugs from neighboring cities and provinces.