Medellin councilor Ricky Ramirez is arrested from his home in Medellin town Wednesday morning for possession of firearms. (CDN PHOTO/BENJIE TALISIC)
FORMER Medellin mayor and now municipal Councilor Ricky Ramirez faces charges of illegal possession of firearms and drugs hours after his home was raided by Cebu provincial police in Medellin town Wednesday.
Chief Supt. Jose Marino, Police Regional Office (PRO-7) chief, said they considered Ramirez is considered as a high value target in their drug watchlist.
But the raid at the official’s home failed to produce any illegal drugs.
“We are still conducting our investigation and we will unmask his involvement in the illegal drug trade,” Marino said.
Seized during the raid were one .45 pistol, on 99 mm pistol, one .22 rifle and drug paraphernalia that include a digital weighing scale and tin foils.
Marino said he suspected that Ramirez used those firearms to harass supporters of rival candidates during the previous elections.
In a radio interview, Ramirez admitted owning the guns but not the drug paraphernalia. He was surprised to see the digital weighing scale and tin foils inside his room.
He also admitted that he was hooked to illegal drugs during his youth but claimed that he had since been clean. Ramirez is now detained at the PRO-7 stockade pending the filling of charges against him.