Text message links brgy. official to illegal drugs
A former barangay captain who is now a barangay kagawad is allegedly into illegal drugs and gambling operations. The information on his alleged involvement was relayed to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) through a text message.
The text message sent to the drug agency has identified Lorenzo “Boy” Castellano, former barangay captain of Barangay Ortiz, City Proper. Castellano is now a barangay kagawad of the same barangay.
Castellano is a known ally of Department of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr.
Castellano, in an interview over Bombo Radyo, vehemently denied the information passed on by an unidentified informant to the drug agency.
The text message only indicated Castellano’s alleged involvement in gambling and pushing of illegal drugs. No other essential information was included in the text message that would give more weight to the allegation.
The text message also identified Police Precinct 1 chief Chief Inspector Conrado Carganillo as Castellano’s alleged protector. It was PDEA’s executive officer Paul Ledesma who relayed the information to Carganillo, said Castellano.
Carganillo and Ledesma are not immediately reached for comment regarding the text message which contained Castellano’s involvement in illegal drugs.
Castellano, who was surprised with the information, denied personally knowing Carganillo. The barangay official said there is no proof to the allegation linking him in the illegal drug trade.
He said it is impossible since he could not even implement a repair on the ceiling of his house. He added that he has no luxury car and do not live a life like those of the drug lords.
Castellano suspects that the person who sent the text message to the PDEA has an ax to grind on him or Chief Insp. Carganillo. “It is a bad joke. It is only meant to discredit me,” he said.