Barangay official caught with ‘tooter,’ ‘shabu’

Police recovered 14 sachets of suspected shabu worth P3,400 and an improvised tooter from a barangay kagawad in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of Victorias City Police Station)

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – A barangay official in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, is facing drug charges after he was reportedly caught with P3,400 worth of suspected shabu and an improvised tooter last Wednesday.

The suspect is an incumbent kagawad of Barangay 19-A, who also works as an outsourced worker for the Victorias Milling Company (VMC).

Police Captain Genus David, deputy chief of Victorias City Police Station, said they received a call from VMC’s security officer informing them of the incident.

David stated that VMC security guards conduct frisking on their employees before allowing them to enter the premises to prevent the entry of any contraband.

During the frisking, an improvised tooter allegedly slipped from the suspect’s pocket, prompting the duty guard to hold him for further inspection by the police.

Police recovered 14 sachets of suspected shabu from the suspect, according to David.

David noted that it’s possible the suspect may have forgotten the firm’s protocol, had plans to use the illegal drugs, or might have used them already before going to work.

He mentioned that this was the first time they received information about the barangay official’s alleged involvement in illegal drugs, as there had been no complaints against him.

Charges for illegal possession of dangerous drugs and illegal possession of drug paraphernalia have been filed against the suspect, according to David.