GENERAL. SANTOS CITY -- Police have filed charges Friday before the prosecutor’s office here against 23 persons arrested during anti-drug operation a day earlier in Polomolok, South Cotabato.
Chief Supt. Marcelo Morales, police regional director of Region 12, said illegal drugs, firearms and explosives recovered from 23 persons in five villages of Polomolok during Thursday’s “One Time - Big Time” operation will serve as evidence against them.
Armed with 124 search warrants, joint regional and provincial police drug enforcement units backed by the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion conducted simultaneous law enforcement operations in the villages of Poblacion, Lumakil, Magsaysay, Silway 8 and Rubber.
Two of the suspects, identified as Ruben Porsuelo and Bobong Jamelo, both of Barangay Poblacion, were killed in the operation.
Police intelligence reports bared that the two were among the suspects in the murder of Sr. Insp. Hernan Gabat, deputy police chief of Polomolok town, sometime last year.
Arrested during Thursday’s raid were Tahil Bansalo Andang, 57, Sarikin Bansalao Motalib, 53, Jama Bansalao Motalib, 64; Saiden Salinogin Kalid, Michael Cahumnas; Basit Mamubpon Gulam, 54, all are residents of Barangay Silway 8; Oliver Fernandez Ledesma, 37, Hussein Hassan Casbanit, 24, Ryan Mariano Bisaya, 22, Ramon Collado Macalinao Sr. and Abdulrashid Alab Marangit, all of Barangay Rubber in Polomolok; Eddie Almojallas Sanchez, 47, George Balalaque Jamero, 42, Juvy Jontilano Olano, 39; Rogelio Casicas Eder and Urbano Casicas Eder, all of Barangay Poblacion.
Also arrested in the same operation were Gilben Biansat Aninion, Minda Partosa, Eddie Perales Norcos, 55 Abdulrahman Diawe, Masser Ebrahim Malunes, 26, Benjack Rivera Alab, 24, all of Barangay Lumakil.
The raiding team confiscated 69 sachets of shabu, eight sachets containing residue of shabu and two shabu sachets used as container from the suspects.
Also recovered were mobile phones, shabu paraphernalia and motorbikes without registration papers, two cal. 38 revolvers, ammunition for cal. 45 pistol, 9mm pistol and 12 gauge shot gun, six hand grenades and 10 rifle grenades.
Some of the suspects claimed the evidences were planted by operating police units but Morales said the respondents will have their day in court during a fair trial.
Morales has assured the public that more law enforcement operations would be conducted under his leadership until the region is free from illegal drugs and personalities engaged in it.
“I thank my men in the field for their collective effort and laudable accomplishments, and also everyone, who in one way or another have helped our police officers achieve their goal in fostering peace and order in their respective areas of responsibility,” Morales said. (PNA/Photo by PRO-12)
