A BARANGAY captain was arrested for allegedly selling illegal drugs and for illegal possession of firearms in an anti-illegal drug operation in Barangay Hilogtongan in Bantayan in northern Cebu.
Rey Christopher Paclibar, 58, Hilotongan barangay captain, was arrested during a buy-bust operation at his house in the barangay, said Chief Insp. Ace Gerald Pelare, acting Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office, who led the operation.
Pelare said that they also arrested the barangay chief’s brother, Leo Paclibar, 64; the barangay chief’s cousin, Reynold Villacrusis, 48, for allegedly selling illegal drugs and illegal possession of firearms as well.
He said the barangay captain’s wife, Annie Paclibar, 57, was also arrested and would be charged with obstruction of justice.
He said Rey Christopher Paclibar is on their list of high-value targets.
Police confiscated from the suspects large and medium packs of suspected shabu weighing 12 grams, a .45 caliber pistol, ammunition, and P12,000 cash believed to be proceeds of the illegal trade.
Barangay Captain Paclibar told Cebu Daily News in a phone interview that the arrest was harassment and identified a town official, whom he had not been on good terms with, as the alleged mastermind of his arrest.
Senior Insp. Nazareno Emia, deputy chief of the PIB, said that they conducted the operation against Paclibar after they received information about his alleged illegal activities with fishermen as his clients.
The Paclibars were detained at the Bantayan Police Station pending the filing of illegal drug charges and illegal possession of firearms charges.
Annie Paclibar would be facing an obstruction of justice charge.