Alleged City Hall job hire falls in PHP 1.6M drug bust

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

An alleged job hire of the Iloilo City government was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Zamora-Melliza, City Proper, on Wednesday evening, with police seizing an estimated PHP 1.6 million worth of suspected shabu.

The suspect, identified as alias “Dadang,” 47, a resident of the area and a listed high-value individual, was apprehended around 7 p.m. by operatives of the Iloilo City Police Office.

Authorities said around 240 grams of suspected shabu were recovered during the operation, along with PHP 12,000 in buy-bust money and other non-drug items.

Police said the suspect admitted working as a job hire at the Facility Conservation Office at City Hall, although the city government has yet to confirm the current status of his employment.

The suspect had previously been arrested in a drug operation in 2015 but was acquitted and released in 2024.

Police said monitoring continued after his release, eventually leading to the buy-bust operation.

The local government of Barangay Zamora-Melliza, in a statement, called for stronger community cooperation in maintaining peace and order within its jurisdiction.

Officials also urged residents, parents, and stakeholders to actively participate in maintaining peace and security by reporting suspicious individuals, activities, or transactions to authorities.

“We declare in clear and firm terms: we will never tolerate, condone, or turn a blind eye to any illegal act or activity that brings harm, danger, or distress to our children, our families, and the entire community we serve,” it said.

Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu responded to the incident, stressing that the city government does not tolerate any involvement in illegal drugs regardless of employment status or position.

“We continue in joining law enforcement agencies to ensure that Iloilo City is safe, peaceful, and drug-free,” she said.

She directed concerned offices to immediately verify the suspect’s employment records, including contract status and last duty report, and to coordinate with law enforcement as part of the investigation.

In late April, Treñas-Chu signed Executive Order No. 037, series of 2026, for the stricter implementation of the city government’s Drug-Free Workplace Policy, which mandates random drug testing for all public officials, employees, job hires, and contract of service workers.

The Uswag Molecular Laboratory in Molo was assigned to conduct the drug testing.