PDEA nabs another village councilor for drugs

MANILA, Philippines - Anti-narcotics agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency have arrested another barangay councilor during a buy-bust operation in Marinduque, the PDEA said on Wednesday.

PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. said Joris Jardiniano,  49, a target-listed drug personality of Barangay San Miguel, Boac, Marinduque, is the third village official nabbed over drugs by agents in a span of four days.

Only three days ago , two barangay kagawads identified as Nicolas Brito, 48; and Abilog Tindegaranao, 34, were arrested by PDEA following separate entrapment operations in Iloilo and Bukidnon.

Last May 27, combined elements of PDEA Regional Office 4B Boac police arrested Jardiniano after he sold a sachet of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, to a poseur-buyer.

Cacdac said that during the body search, Jardiniano yielded another three plastic sachets of the illegal drug; and a black sling bag containing cash money in local currency and Canadian dollars, two disposable lighters, a mobile phone and the two P500- marked bills used as buy-bust money.

"If he (Jardiniano) is found guilty, the maximum penalty of the anti-drug law shall be imposed upon him, in addition to absolute perpetual disqualification from any public office, being a government official himself," Cacdac said. - Dennis Carcamo