Ilocos councilman faces drug charges

MANILA, Philippines –  An elected village councilman in Ilocos Norte is facing drug charges after being arrested recently for alleged drug peddling.

As this developed, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency is expressing concern over what it said was the increasing number of elected officials and even members of law enforcement agencies being involved in the illegal drug trade.

PDEA Region 1 Director Roberto Opeña identified the recently arrested elected official as Kagawad Alwyn Andres Acosta.

Anti-narcotics operatives also arrested Acosta’s alleged cohort, Ben Ryan Marcos Ermitanio.

The operation was conducted on Feb. 1 by PDEA Ilocos Norte Special Enforcement Team with elements from the Ilocos Norte Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Operation Task Group and PNP Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group.

The buy-bust operation was conducted in the vicinity of Tabtabagan, Banna, Ilocos Norte. 

According to the agency, anti-narcotics agents confiscated from the suspects a heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing what was suspected to be shabu, two pie­ces P500 marked money and one unit mobile phone used in the transaction.

The agency said the suspects are facing charges for violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs) of Republic Act 9165.