Cops probe alleged drug links of slain councilman

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Pontevedra Municipal Police Station in Negros Occidental is validating reports about the alleged drug links of slain Kagawad Edward Dominic Algara of Barangay Antipolo.

Police Captain Rhojn Darell Nigos, town police chief, said that they are conducting a separate investigation after some members of the media received information through text messages about the said accusation later that day.

“Mahirap kasi i-confirm in the local level na financier siya ng isang taong nahuli na last year for a drug offense. We have no documentary evidence to prove that,” he added.

Nigos said they cannot tell if the information was legit since they have not yet talked to the victim’s wife.

He said the victim is not part of any drug listing in the municipal level. He added that they will wait for the higher office to distinguish if the victim was indeed tagged as a high value target being a barangay official.

Nigos also said that they coordinated with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-6 to verify the alleged link of the victim to a drug suspect arrested by the agency last year, however, the assigned agent in the operation was already transferred to a new assignment.

Algara was gunned down after he was allegedly robbed by an unidentified man inside his feed supply store in the public market on Monday. He succumbed to two gunshot wounds in the head and body.

Nigos said it is not clear yet if indeed the store was robbed with cash or items because they still have to talk to the victim’s wife.

He also said that they will include in their investigation the victim’s credit line. “We will check if there are those who took advantage of him,” he added.

He said they are dismissing the angle of politics behind the killing because he’s been on his last term as barangay official.