PDEA nabs village official, 2 pals in Maguindanao

DATU ODIN SINSUAT, Maguindanao--A newly-reelected barangay official and two cohorts were arrested on Thursday in a buy-bust operation in this town.

Juvenal Azurin, regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-ARMM), identified the suspects as Akmad Gani Maton, 43; Tulon Kusap Sumail, 47; and Joehari Masulat Ali, a re-elected barangay councilor in Sapalan, Datu Odin Sinsuat.

Azurin said they were arrested in a buy-bust in Barangay Makir proper here at about 2 p.m. Thursday.

The three suspects were in the PDEA-ARMM high-value target list.

“We have been closely watching the village official due to persistent reports he was still into (the illegal) drug trade,” Azurin said of Ali.

Seized from the suspects were 55 grams of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride commonly known as “shabu” worth PHP374,000, marked money, and three cellular phones with high-intelligence value data.

Azurin said charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, are being prepared to be filed against the suspects. (PNA)