Following President Rodrigo Duterte order to nab politicians involved in the illegal drug trade, Philippine government agents have arrested a former mayor and now elected councilman in Medellin town in Cebu.
Philippine agents identified the elected government official as Ricardo Ramirez, also known by the codename "Ricky", and raided his house in the Village of Caputatan. Several illegal items were reportedly found at his residence, including paraphernalia, unregistered firearms and ammunition.
Announcing this, Senior Superintendent Eric Noble, the provincial director of Cebu, has presented the evidence before journalists, saying Ramirez was a high-value target who was in the government's drug watchlist in the region for quite some time.
Government agents raided his house after obtaining the arrest warrant from Court Judge Jacinto Fajardo, Jr. of the Regional Trial Court in Cebu, said Noble. Though no drugs were recovered from his residence, the intelligence community were able to recover an assault rifle, air guns and 45 caliber ammunition, he said.
The Office of the President also included Ramirez in the narco list of drug personalities and has kept him under surveillance. The government has 68 persons in the hunting list including a soldier and a public school teacher, said Noble.
The government has been conducting anti-drug campaign throughout the country, running after government workers involved in drugs. The police have identified the soldier as Private Harold Mangulad of the 5th Army Division who was nabbed in Amulung in Cagayan along with five others.
The public school teacher was identified as Necasio Rapisora, 37. The teacher was arrested with three others in Surigao City.
