Lingayen barangay officials arrested for drinking spree

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Barangay officials here were caught violating the city’s extreme enhanced community guidelines, going on a drinking spree on Sunday night, May 3, despite the liquor ban.

Lingayen police received a tip that the Barangay Dulag chairman and some councilors (kagawad) were drinking and gunshots were heard, as well.

At the barangay hall, they found Benjie Mararac, the barangay chairman, with councilors kagawad Jerwin Canilang, Arthur Rosario, and Edzel Mararac, as well as barangay tanods (village watchmen) Jaime Ferrer, and Ruben Mangiralas, and a resident, Harold Calingasin, in the middle of a drinking spree.

Investigation showed that Mararac allegedly fired his Glock pistol .40. Despite Mararac’s license and permit to carry, the firearm was confiscated by the police together with 6 bottles of gin – 5 of which were already empty.

Police rounded up Mararac and the rest of the group. They are facing charges for violating Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code, RA 11469 or the or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, and EO 0013, which placed the province under extreme enhanced community quarantine.

Pangasinan is among the provinces that will remain under lockdown until May 15. 

In April, President Rodrigo Duterte said that quarantine violators will not be granted aid, especially those who are caught holding cockfighting tournaments and having drinking sprees.

After community quarantines were imposed in the national and local levels to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, barangay captains have been tasked to distribute government’s relief assistance to the grassroots, from the cash benefits to food packages. (READ: Duterte chaos leaves barangay officials ‘helpless’ amid lockdown) – Rappler.com