ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities arrested seven suspects and seized some PHP128,520 worth of illegal drugs in a series of anti-drug operations in the past three days in the Zamboanga Peninsula, the region's top police official said on Monday.
Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) director, on Monday identified the arrested suspects as Daniel Laplana also known as Melgazar Laplana, 28; Adzmir Hassan, 36; Alfraizer Maharail, 29; Jay-ar Lawama, 33; Bashair Jamahali, 30; Ruben Sangalang, 25; and, Asbi Singkay, 33.
Laplana was arrested by the Zamboanga City Police Office’s (ZCPO) Station 5 operatives in a search warrant operation in Zone 5, Barangay Zambowood, here at around 5 a.m. Monday.
Recovered from Laplana were some 2.9 grams of shabu packed in 12 heat-sealed plastic sachets worth PHP20,000.
Hassan, Maharail, and Lawama were arrested by the operatives of the ZCPO’s Station 11 in an anti-illegal drug operation around 10 p.m. Sunday in Barangay Baliwasan.
The three yielded some 1.47 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP10,000, a coin purse, and PHP300 marked money.
Meanwhile, Jamahali, a meter reader of the Zamboanga del Sur Electric Cooperative-II (Zamsureco-II) was arrested in a buy-bust operation by operatives of the Municipal Drug Enforcement Team (MDET) around 10:30 a.m. Sunday in Purok 5, Sitio Singkilon, Barangay Baga, Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay.
Confiscated from Jamahali were some PHP4,000 worth of shabu, PHP500 buy-bust money, and some personal belongings.
Ylagan said Sangalang was arrested in possession of some PHP70,720 worth of suspected shabu and PHP500 marked money in an anti-drug operation around 11 p.m. Saturday at the bypass road in Barangay Pasobolong, this city.
Singkay was arrested by the undercover policemen in a buy-bust operation around 12:30 a.m. Saturday in Block 1, Barangay Poblacion, Baliguian, Zamboanga del Norte.
Seized from him were some 3.5 grams of suspected shabu, PHP500 buy-bust money, a Swiss knife, and illegal drug paraphernalia.
The suspects will face charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)
