Town councilor nabbed in Davao checkpoint for drugs

DAVAO CITY (UPDATED, 9:24 a.m December 7, 2018)-- A municipal councilor of the Davao Oriental town of Manay was arrested after yielding shabu and illegal drug paraphernalia at a checkpoint here Wednesday afternoon.

Col. Nolasco Mempin, commander of Task Force Davao, identified the arrested person as Eugene Rhoy Balante, 27, a resident of Barangay Central, and a member of the Manay municipal council.

Mempin said Balante was found carrying the illegal drugs at a checkpoint in Barangay Lasang by a TF Davao unit led by Pfc. James Jemota.

Balante yielded three empty sachets with residue of suspected shabu, two improvised glass tube, two lighters, and an improvised needle, he said.

"The suspect was on board a Private Utility Van (PUV) bearing plate nr LGW 896 color gray from Manay, Davao Oriental heading towards Davao City," the TF Davao official added.

Balante and the seized items were handed over to PO2 Rey Alburo of Bunawan Police for proper disposition.

Earlier on the same day, TF Davao also discovered from the possession of a certain Raymund John Cordero Alternado, 29, a sachet of shabu worth PHP3,000.

Alternado was on board an Alrahima Taxi from Tagum City proceeding to Bangkal, Davao City. He was turned over to PO1 Ebenezer Ebdao, the duty personnel of Bunawan police, for proper disposition and appropriate action. (Rhoda Grace Saron/PNA)

(Erratum: An earlier version of this article erroneously described the suspect, Eugene Rhoy Balante, as a village councilor. The article has been corrected to reflect Mr. Balante's position as a municipal councilor).