23 drug suspects nabbed, 2 killed

COTABATO CITY — Police operations in Region 12 over the past week have led to the arrests of 23 drug suspects and the deaths of two.

Units of the Police Regional Office-12 planned to arrest 32 drug dealers last week, but got only 23 and shot dead two more for refusing to yield peacefully.

The 10 other targets of PRO12's anti-narcotics operations eluded arrest.

Chief Superintendent Marcelo Morales of PRO-12 said yesterday that police were forced to neutralize Ruben Porsuelo and Bobong Jamelo when they fired at the teams approaching their hideouts in Polomolok town in South Cotabato.

Morales said they are targeting the arrest of no fewer than 50 more in Region 12's adjoining Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato, South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces in the coming weeks.

Region 12 also covers the cities of Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal and General Santos.

"Our operations are being initiated with the help of provincial and city officials," Morales said.

The 23 drug traffickers now in the custody of PRO-12 are to be prosecuted for possession of methamphetamine hydrochloride, most known as “shabu.”

All 23 of them have been charged with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

In the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 217 were arrested for drugs from November 2017 to March 1, 2018, according to the Police Regional Office-ARMM.

Chief Superintendent Graciano Mijares, director of PRO-ARMM, said yesterday three uncooperative drug traffickers were killed in separate shootouts with plainclothes personnel during the period.

Mijares, citing reports from ARMM's five provincial police directors, said 217 suspected drug peddlers were also arrested in the past four months.