By AARON B. RECUENCO
Authorities arrested yesterday the incumbent Vice Mayor of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan after a raid in his house allegedly yielded guns and suspected shabu.
Supt. Enrico Rigor, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police-Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG), said the raid on the house of Vice Mayor Luis Marimla Marcaida III came over reports of his involvement in illegal drugs.
“He is on the regional watchlist,” said Rigor, referring to the list of personalities being linked to illegal drugs in the MIMAROPA (Mindoro Occidental and Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) region.
Rigor said they immediately secured a search warrant and implemented it on his house on Jacana Road in Barangat Bancao-Bancao at around 6 a.m. yesterday.
The search warrant, issued by Manila Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Reynaldo Alhambra, is in connection with the possible violation of Republic Act 9165 or anti-illegal drugs law.
Seized during the operation were 30 sachets containing suspected shabu which were all reportedly wrapped in a transparent plastic pack.
Also confiscated were a .22-caliber rifle, three rifle grenades, a fragmentation grenade, and four .45 pistols.
Police are now checking if the guns seized are registered. If not, police officials said Marcaida may face additional cases pertaining to illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
As of press time yesterday, PDEG operatives and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency are conducting inventory of the seized items along with local officials and local media.
Asked if Marcaida will be taken to Camp Crame, Rigor said he may be jailed in the PDEG regional office in Mindoro Oriental.
Last week, it was recalled that PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa had ordered all his commanders to step up the campaign against illegal drugs.
In an interview at Camp Crame, Dela Rosa said he is yet to see if Marcaida is included in the list of narco-politicians of President Duterte.
