By Jennifer P. Rendon
A village official who repeatedly evaded authorities was finally arrested morning of June 12, 2021 in Oton, Iloilo.
Anti-narcotics operatives nabbed Barangay Kagawad Jade Catedral, 35, of Barangay Talaba, Badiangan, Iloilo at his grandmother’s house in Orchard-B, Savannah Subdivision in Barangay Abilay Norte, Oton.
Members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 6 (PDEA-6) led the operation, along with the Guimaras Police Provincial Office, Oton Police Station and Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit (RPDEU), against Catedrilla who was considered as Badiangan’s alleged top drug personality.
Catedral, Talaba village’s number one kagawad (council member) and chairperson of the peace and order council committee, was also tagged as an alleged high-value drug personality.
Recovered from his possession were 15 sachets of suspected shabu, P5,000 buy bust money, seven identification cards, P7,980 cash, two mobile phones, and a wallet.
Authorities also recovered a caliber .45 pistol with eight ammunitions, caliber, a .25 pistol with seven ammunitions, and a holster,
The seized substance was valued at P100,000.
PDEA conducted a two-month surveillance operation before finally catching the suspect.
Catedral is now at the PDEA custody and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act).
