Village chief nabbed in Ronda, Cebu

A VILLAGE official was arrested in a raid by operatives of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) in Barangay Tupas, Ronda, southwestern Cebu Wednesday morning, May 10.

Tupas Barangay Captain Eugene “Aye” Miñoza, 38, was caught with 22 grams of shabu worth P300,000 by the joint team of Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) and Provincial Public Safety Company.

He also allegedly yielded a .45 pistol, bullets and a silencer.

Superintendent Joie Yape, PIB chief, said Miñoza is serving his second term. He was first elected in 2010 and he got a fresh mandate in 2013.

Yape’s deputy, Senior Inspector Nazarino Emia, said that they received several complaints from neighbors about the suspect’s allegedly rude behavior and frequent display of his firearms in public.

Investigators are looking into Miñoza’s alleged involvement in illegal drug trade and gambling, including some murder incidents in the village.

Ronilo Renez, a village watchman (tanod) in Tupas, surrendered his unlicensed .9mm revolver with four bullets to the operatives.

Miñoza, who admitted he used illegal drugs, was the third village chief arrested for alleged involvement in illegal drugs in the last four months.

Last January, Sangi, Toledo City Barangay Captain Eduardo Bacalso was caught in a drug bust by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Central Visayas. He yielded 105 grams of white crystals believed to be shabu worth P378,000 and a .38 revolver with five bullets.

On April 16, Yape’s team also arrested Lagtang, Talisay City Barangay Captain Mark Ferdinand Bas.

A legal search yielded a gun, grenade and ammunition from the residence of Bas, an alleged underling of self-confessed drug lord Franz Sabalones.

No drugs, however, were found in Bas’s home.

Last April 28, the PIB operatives tried to arrest Valladolid Barangay Captain Ryan Sagolili in a raid for allegedly owning unlicensed firearms. Sagolili, however, escaped arrest.

The raid in Miñoza’s residence was authorized by a search warrant issued by Danao City Regional Trial Court Branch 25 Judge Jerry Dicdican.

Operatives implemented the search warrant at 5:40 a.m.

For his part, Miñoza blamed some politicians for his arrest.

The village leader alleged that his aunt, a former Ronda councilor, is mad at him, saying he did not support her candidacy in May 2016 elections.

Police will charge him with violating Section 11 (possession of dangerous drugs) of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and illegal possession of firearm.

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