Mayor’s driver, village exec, 3 others break Antique liquor ban

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Five persons – a village official, a mayor’s driver and three others– were nabbed by the local police of the Culasi town in Antique on Sunday for violation of the liquor ban due to the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine.

In an interview Monday, Culasi police chief, Capt. Bryan Alamo said they arrested Frenz Roy Lomugdang who was celebrating his 29th birthday, Barangay Jalandoni chairman Julius Lester Tamba; and other guests Rafael Cabangon, Avelino Bermudez, and Lloyd Eric Salazar.

“The individuals were arrested under Executive Order 21 of 2020 implementing liquor ban in relation to the Enhance Community Quarantine (ECQ) Policy of Municipality of Culasi,” he said.

Alamo said prior before the arrest, they received a text message from Culasi Mayor Jose Joeffrey Lomugdang asking them to check his warehouse in Barangay Centro Norte because of information that some of his personnel were drinking in the area.

The violators were caught at 5 p.m. of April 12 and were also released at 5 a.m. Monday after the reglementary period expired.

“The police, however, is preparing to have regular filing of the case in the court against these arrested persons,” he said.

He said the persons violated Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code on resistance and disobedience to a person in authority and Republic Act 11332 which is also known as the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.

The police are also coordinating with the Municipal Local Government Operations Officer and the Culasi mayor for possible administrative case against the barangay captain for attending the said gathering.

“The barangay captain is not supposed to be there at the gathering,” Alamo said. (PNA)