CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan — A visibly angry Mayor Christian C. Natividad ordered yesterday all barangay captains, councilmen, including all barangay tanods (watchmen) to undergo a drug test and submit not later than 5 pm Thursday their results.
Natividad, a lawyer and son of the late congressman Teodulo Natividad who authored the creation of the Dangerous Drugs Board four decades ago, was fuming mad after city police operatives killed four members of a drug-robbery syndicate and arrested a barangay tanod whose lair was less than a kilometer away from the City Hall.
“Paano ka naman hindi maiinis nito, halos hindi na natutulog ang ating kapulisan at may mga nasugatan pa tayong pulis tapos may mahuhuling tandod na dapat ay kasama natin sa kampanya laban sa droga,” Natividad told local newsmen.
The twin directives came following the early morning shootout at Barangay Caniogan resulting in the death of the four gangmen and the arrest of tanod Rodolfo Leoncio of Barangay Caniogan, Malolos who luckily survived unscathed.
Police identified the slain suspects as Ronald Gaben alias ‘Tonton’; Paquito Bernardo; Ronald Gaben; Angelito dela Cruz alias “Toto”; Rodolfo Roberto alias “Dolfo”; all residents of the barangay.
In a report to Bulacan acting police director Senior Supt. Caramat Jr., the suspects were cannabilizing a stolen motorcycle when police swooped down on the gang’s hideout owned by its leader, alias Tonton. An hour-long gun battle ensued as the suspects scampered in different directions after they were surprised by the lawmen.
Police recovered on cal. 45 pistol, one 12-gauge shotgun, two improvised shotguns, one coverall uniform said to be used in the gang’s robbery activities, three stolen motorcycles, and undetermined grams of shabu and drug paraphernalia.
“In spite of our serious and relentless grassroots campaign to eradicate the drug menace in the city, the fact that some tanods who are the first-line watchkeepers in the barangay are drug-infected is really alarming,” the mayor said. –Emil G. Gamos