Iloilo: The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) continues to monitor village officials who are suspected of involvement in illegal drug activities. In a press conference Monday, IPPO Director Col. Bayani Razalan revealed that this year, they have arrested three village captains, one Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Council) chair, and four village councilors. The latest apprehension, which occurred over the weekend, involved an incumbent councilor of Barangay Pajo in Lambunao, from whom operatives seized approximately 30 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated value of PHP204,000.

According to Philippines News Agency, Razalan expressed concern that some village officials, who are expected to lead their local anti-drug abuse councils, are instead becoming frontrunners in the illegal drug trade. Nevertheless, he noted these individuals represent less than one percent of the 1,721 villages in the province. Despite the arrests, Razalan emphasized that there are no significant personalities behind the entry of large volumes of illegal drugs in the province. Most of the arrested high-value individuals reportedly sourced their supply from Manila, transporting them via roll-on, roll-off vessels, with supplies seldom coming from Cebu and Negros Occidental.

Razalan also highlighted plans to reinforce the anti-drug campaign through the use of K-9 narcotics detection dogs and their handlers, who have been undergoing training initiated by the provincial government. The training, which began in January, is set to conclude by the first week of July with 26 dogs and their handlers graduating. "One way of preventing the entry of illegal drugs is by strengthening our entry areas, like seaports, airports, and identified routes. That's where we are going to use our narcotic detection dogs," he stated.