An Iloilo City policeman was arrested in a buy bust operation Wednesday evening at Brgy. Rizal Pala-Pala Zone 2, City Proper district, authorities said.

Atty. Ronnie Delicana, regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) VI, said that Police Officer 1 (PO1) Marlon Roque, assigned at the Mandurriao Police Station mobile patrol unit, was yielded with two sachets of suspected shabu and P4,000, including the buy bust money.

Delicana added that the operation had an eye on the arrest of his brother, Dexter, who eluded arrest.

He, however, opted not to go into details on what happened during the actual operation.

He just confirmed that although the brothers were not on their watchlist of illegal drug personalities, “their names cropped up during the surveillance operations.

While Dexter appeared to be the alleged drug pusher, Marlon has been his almost constant “protector.”

Meanwhile, Chief Inspector Efren Lozada, Marlon’s direct superior at the Mandurriao Police Station, said that they have not received any information about Roque’s involvement.

“He’s assigned here for almost six months. He seemed quiet and was not the person to engage in lengthy talks,” Lozada said. 

Prior to Mandurriao Police Station, Roque was assigned at the “gate” of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO).

He reportedly did a short stint at the Task Force Bakhaw, an interim unit tasked to go after illegal drugs in Brgy. Bakhaw, Mandurriao.

Lozada said that they will leave everything to the PDEA.

Delicana refused to comment on allegations that a number of policemen are involved in illegal drug trade and protection.

“It’s a sensitive issue and we don’t want to point finger to anybody. We’ll just do our job,” the region’s drug czar said.