Buhangin councilor faces drug raps

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (Pdea) Region 11 filed on Monday charges before the Davao City Prosecution Office against a barangay councilor who was nabbed for alleged distribution of illegal drugs in Davao City.

Facing charges for violation of the Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, and the Republic Act 10591 or Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition, is Arnold Mascariñas Maalat, 48, of Buhangin District.

Pdea-Davao director Antonio E. Rivera said Maalat, who is a former barangay captain and now councilor in Barangay Communal in Buhangin District, was arrested in an entrapment operation in the barangay on November 26, Sunday.

Maalat was arrested at around 9:30 a.m. after handing over one plastic sachet suspected to contain methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu).

Recovered from the possession of the official were one big pack and three small plastic sachets containing suspected shabu worth P480,000, drug paraphernalia, one caliber .9mm pistol with live ammunition and two grenade launchers.

"A concerned citizen

from the same barangay earlier reported through text message about the illegal activities of the official. After we received the information, we conducted casing and surveillance before this operation," Rivera said.

Maalat, who is currently detained at the Pdea 11 jail facility, was brought to the prosecution office on November 27, Monday afternoon, for inquest proceedings.

The seized items were submitted to Laboratory Service of the agency.

Rivera said if the official is found guilty on the complaint filed against him, maximum penalty of the unlawful act shall be imposed in addition to absolute perpetual disqualification from public office as stated in the Republic Act 9165. ICT