2 drug syndicate leaders, 9 others arrested in military operations

The military yesterday said that 11 drug suspects, including two leaders of drug syndicates, were arrested during joint law enforcement operations in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, on Wednesday.

Army Major Filemon Tan Jr., the spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom), said the anti-drug operations also resulted in the seizure of high-powered firearms, drug paraphernalia, and illegal drugs suspected to be “shabu” worth 1205, 914.

Tan said the search warrants were served on Aya Balabaran, alias Commander Biente, in Brgy. Kusiong, Datu Odin Sinsuat, and Lamie Mamasabakulod, alias Commander Lawin, the barangay kagawad of Tabian, Datu Odin Sinsuat.

The operatives who served the warrant were from the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Lauro Oliveros and the 1st Mechanized Brigade, Mechanized Infantry Division led by Col. Felicisimo Budiongan; the Philippine Drug Enforcement Unit-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-ARMM) and the Philippine National Police Datu Odin Sinsuat.

The operation in Kusiong led to the arrest of Balabaran and the alleged recovery of two pieces of large heatsealed transparent plastic sachets and seven pieces of small heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets of suspected shabu, weighing more or less 51 grams.

Also nabbed was a person identified as Normina Abdula Tampugao who allegedly had 259 pieces of small heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets believed to be shabu.

Troops also recovered an M-16 rifle attached with M203 grenade launcher, two M16 rifles, three M14 rifles, four cal. pistols, an improvised pistol shotgun, two 40mm M79 rifle grenades, assorted magazines and ammunition.

The operation in Tapian, Datu Odin Sinsuat also resulted in the arrest of Mamasabakulod and Almendras Sanday Mama Jr.

Tan said they recovered from the suspect’s possession six pieces of heatsealed transparent plastic sachets of suspected shabu weighing more or less 50 grams, one BAR, an M16 rifle, a cal. 45 pistol, assorted magazines, ammunition, and drug paraphernalia.

Tan said seven suspected drug users were also nabbed during the said operation.

The arrested persons are currently in the custody of the PDEA Regional Office-ARMM.

Meanwhile, Director Ed Apalla, the head of PDEA-ARMM said the suspected illegal drugs seized is worth 1205,915.