FOUR village chiefs, a municipal councilor and a former municipal councilor were arrested in an operation against illegal drugs in Bayambang, Pangasinan, at dawn on Thursday, an official said Friday.
The arrest came after anti-narcotics agents backed by a military unit swooped down on the suspects’ homes armed by search warrants, provincial police chief Ronald Lee said.
He identified the four village chiefs as Renato Soriano of Tamaro, George Balbin of Nalsian Sur, Gildo Madronio of San Gabriel, and Eduardo Alcantara of Beleng, all in Bayambang town.
He said the raiders found sachets of shabu and other drugs on the suspects.
Roderick Casingal, the village chief of Iton, was not around but the agents found three sachets of suspected shabu, an empty sachet of suspected residue of shabu and one strip of aluminum foil.
Lee said the agents also arrested village official Marck Monderin of Malimpec village and former municipal councilor Gerardo De Vera of the same town.
Jose Sandy Gavino, a resident of Tamaro, was also arrested.
The authorities also served warrants against village chiefs Germaine Lee of Magsaysay and Ro`delito Bautista of Bani but found no warrants on them.
At least six drug personalities in Pangasinan have been killed in separate anti-illegal drug operation in the province, while 12,000 drug dealers and users have surrendered.