A BARANGAY captain in Opol town, Misamis Oriental, who is seeking for reelection in the May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, was arrested by police for alleged possession of illegal drugs and explosives on May 6.
By virtue of a search warrant issued by the 10th Municipal Circuit Trial Court in Manticao town, authorities nabbed 44-year-old Hermito Laid Jr., the barangay captain of Patag, Opol.
Police Chief Inspector Arlyne Ranario, Misamis Oriental Provincial Police Office spokesperson, said Laid is on the watchlist of provincial-wide drug personalities list and is classified as a high-value target.
Seized from his possession were nine pieces of suspected shabu, and one fragmentation grenade.
He will face drugs and explosive possession charges, both are non-bailable offenses.
Currently detained at the Opol Municipal Police Station, Laid will face drugs and explosive possession charges, which are both non-bailable.
The arrest came four days after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Northern Mindanao disclosed that they are revealing 11 more barangay officials involved in illegal drugs in the region.
In the first list, three are from Iligan City, seven from Ozamis City and one from Misamis Occidental. Three are barangay chairmen and eight village councilors.
But in the new list, four barangay officials allegedly involved in illegal drugs are in Misamis Oriental, three in Cagayan de Oro, eight in Bukidnon, five in Lanao del Norte, and one each in Camiguin and Misamis Occidental.
PDEA-Northern Mindanao Director Wilkins Villanueva said the new list will be forwarded to its national office and will soon be publicized, probably before the May 14 elections.