A barangay captain allegedly involved in illegal drugs, his wife who is also a drug den maintainer and a nephew were arrested by anti-narcotics operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) during the implementation of a search warrant in Iloilo on September 5, 2014.
PDEA Director General Undersecretary Arturo G. Cacdac, Jr. identified the suspects as Roger Belarde y Biana, 48 years old, married, a native of Dugwakan Banate, Iloilo and the incumbent Barangay Chairman of Barangay Dugwakan Banate, Iloilo; his wife, Respe Belarde y Etua, 32, a drug den maintainer and a housekeeper; and Archie Belarde y Biana, 30, married. All suspects are residents of Dugwakan Banate, Iloilo.
At around 5:00 pm, operatives of PDEA Regional Office 6 (PDEA RO6) under Director Paul D. Ledesma implemented a search warrant issued by the Honorable Rogelio J. Amador Presiding Judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 66 in Iloilo against Roger Belarde that led to his arrest. Also arrested during the search were Respe Belarde and Archie Belarde.
Recovered inside Belarde’s residence doubling as drug den were four pieces of large heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets of white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu, six medium-sized heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets of shabu, one piece of small heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet of suspected shabu, one heptagon shape heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet of suspected shabu, six pieces 12 gauge shot gun live ammunition, two empty cigarette boxes, seven pieces of empty plastic sachets, four pairs of scissors, three cellular phones and P160 cash in various denominations.
The seized pieces of drug evidence were brought to the PDEA Regional Office 6 Laboratory for forensic examination. Charges for violation of Section 6 (Maintenance of a Drug Den), Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs) in relation to Section 26 (Conspiracy), Article II, of Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be filed in court against Roger and Respe Belarde, while Archie Belarde will be charged for violation of Section 7 (Employees and Visitors of a Den).