COTABATO CITY — Another member of Moro rebel group, a village watchman, and a laborer were arrested during a series of anti-drug operations by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) here over the weekend.
Director Juvenal Azurin of the PDEA in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-ARMM) said the weekend anti-drug operations were conducted on Saturday and Sunday in two separate areas in the city.
On Sunday, government agents collared at around 10 a.m. in Barangay Mother Poblacion here a certain Tony Muhammad, 37, laborer, a high value target and member of the Kautin Drug Group operating in the city.
Recovered from him were 11 sachets of shabu and paraphernalia.
On Saturday, combined PDEA agents and police arrested at around 10 a.m. in Barangay Bagua 1 Allan Kusain Abdillah alias Allan Abdillah or Abdullah, 28, a “habal-habal” (passenger motorbike) driver and remnant of the Bua Drug Group during a buy-bust operation.
Azurin said Abdillah is an active barangay tanod (village watchman) of Barangay Matilac, Pigcawayan, North Cotabato. He was a high value target for drug peddling in Cotabato City and in North Cotabato.
Also seized from him were 11 sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia.
On the same day, PDEA and elements of City Drug Enforcement Unit served a warrant of arrest against Norodin Barandia, 51, for large scale drug peddling in Barangay Poblacion 1.
Barandia claimed he was a member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and showed his identification cards. Seized from him were two sachets of shabu, two cal. 45 pistol, 9 mm pistol, bladed weapons, and PHP111,860 cash.
All suspects are now detained at PDEA lock-up cell here while cases for violation of RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) are being prepared against the suspects and violation of RA 10591 (Illegal Possessions of Firearms and Ammunitions), against Barandia for illegal possession of firearms. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
