2 'drug peddlers' fall, P680-K ‘shabu’ seized in NoCot

COTABATO CITY – A team of operatives from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), police, and the Army’s 34th Infantry Battalion arrested on Wednesday two alleged big-time illegal "drug peddlers" and seized PHP680,000 worth of suspected shabu and high-powered firearms in North Cotabato.

PDEA 12 (Soccsksargen) Director Naravy Duquiatan said the operation in Sitio Marabarak, Barangay Guiling, Alamada town collared Ali Adapan and Usman Selangan whose son, Pilong, was the original target of the anti-drug operation.

However, Pilong Selangan, allegedly a high-profile drug personality, managed to elude arrest, he said.

“He quickly escaped after sensing he was dealing with a poseur-buyer,” Duquiatan said of Pilong, allegedly a leader of an organized drug gang.

He said the younger Selangan was responsible for the proliferation of illegal drugs in Alamada, and his market even extends into other municipalities in the entire province.

“This armed lawless group supplies illegal drugs in large volume to their customers in consignment basis,” Duquiatan said.

Confiscated during the operation were two large sachets of suspected shabu weighing some 100 grams, with an estimated street value of PHP680,000, and the PHP1,000 marked money on top of 94 “boodle” paper bills.

Also seized were three M-30 Garand rifles, four M-16 rifles, an M-14 rifle, an improvised M-79 grenade launcher with ammunition, four handheld radios, and a cellular phone that the group had been using in illegal drug transactions.

Cases for violation of Republic Act (RA) 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act), and RA 10591 (illegal possession of firearms) are to be filed against the suspects who are being held at the PDEA-12 detention facility in General Santos City. (PNA)