Iloilo town exec, "runner" caught

CEBU, Philippines -  An official of the Janiuay Municipal Hall and his alleged runner were arrested in an anti-illegal drugs raid Monday noon.

Members of the Janiuay Police Station arrested Armando Pepino, 53, municipal sports coordinator of Janiuay local government, and his alleged runner Mark Garete, at the former's house in Barangay Don T. Lutero West of the town, where 16 plastic sachets of shabu and three more sachets with shabu residue were confiscated.

Senior Inspector Fernand Limbungan, Janiuay police chief, said Pepino has been working for about a decade a the LGU, while Garete worked as a caretaker at Pepino's gamefowl farm.

There were reports that Pepino has been allegedly into illegal drugs trade for several years and an elected official had already asked him several times to stop the illegal activity. 

"He (Pepino) would lie low for a while but return to his activity after some time," said Limbungan, adding that the suspect allegedly sourced his supply from Negros Occidental.

Last month, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency revealed that more government officials had been involved in the illegal drug trade in 2014 than in the previous year.

According to PDEA's 2014 Annual Report, 190 public officials–56 of them elected, 49 law enforcers and 85 government employees–were arrested due to drug-related offenses.

The number is 37.68 percent higher than the 2013's showing 138 government officials arrested for illegal drugs. — (FREEMAN)