Governor Imee Marcos expressed dismay over the recent arrest of the municipal assessor of Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte for alleged illegal drugs.
The suspect (name withheld by Sentinel) was tagged by police as one of the town’s top drug personalities. Appropriate charges have already been filed against him. The accused had been in government service for almost 20 years now.
Governor Marcos said that public officials guilty of drug charges should face heavier penalties, adding that they do not have the right to hold positions as they destroy the honor and integrity of government service.
The search operation on the house of the suspect in Pagudpud was conducted this week by the Provincial Anti-illegal Drug Special Operation Task Group.
A total of 21.3 grams of shabu and other drug paraphernalia were confiscated during the operation.
Meanwhile, Governor Marcos conveyed her full support to the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office (INPPO) in apprehending other big-time drug users and pushers in the province.
She also urged local officials to remain true to their commitment in government service and be role models of the society.
In her State of the Province Address 2015, Governor Marcos emphasized that “the first requisite of development is peace and order” and reported that “Ilocos Norte is one of the safest places in the country.”
She thus assured of the continuous efforts of the Provincial Government in ensuring safety and security in Ilocos Norte through the various anti-drug and anti-illegal firearms campaigns of the police forces.—(Jennifer T. Pambid, PGIN-CMO)
