By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Negros Occidental said they are also monitoring village officials in the province, including Bacolod City, over alleged involvement in illegal drug activities.

The PDEA said their monitoring had already resulted in the arrest of Kagawad Abby Araneta of the city’s Barangay Alijis earlier this month, and another kagawad in the province’s Talisay City.

Araneta was arrested after yielding 13 plastic sachets of suspected shabu with a combined weight of 201 grams valued at P1,366,800.

They said all information had been counter-validated to determine if they were really involved in illegal drug activities.

Some of the village officials were listed on former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug list, with other politicians and uniformed personnel.

The adjudication process of some names listed has already been cleared, while PDEA’s intelligence units are doubling their efforts in validating the activities of the village officials.

Meanwhile, Bacolod City Police Office-City Drug Enforcement Unit head, Lt. Joven Mogato said they are also validating information regarding some barangay officials in the city who are allegedly involved in illegal drug activities.

He said that some people are just trying to ruin the names of the village officials in their personal interests./DGB, WDJ