By Sam Ramos
A militiaman was apprehended during an anti-drug operation in Zamboanga City, where law enforcement officials confiscated a kilogram of suspected shabu valued at ₱6.8 million. The arrest was reported on Monday by the Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9).
Colonel Santiago Pascual, deputy regional director for operations of PRO-9, identified the suspect as “Jal,” a 59-year-old resident of Barangay Buton, Hadji Mohammad Ajul town in Basilan province. Jal was taken into custody during a buy-bust operation conducted by the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU) at around 11:04 p.m. on Sunday along P. Reyes Street in Barangay Zone 2.
Authorities recovered a kilo of suspected shabu packed in a transparent plastic bag, along with the marked buy-bust money. During initial questioning, Jal admitted that he had been tasked to deliver the illegal drugs in exchange for a ₱100,000 delivery fee. He refused, however, to disclose the source of the contraband.
Jal is currently detained at the Zamboanga City Police Office while awaiting charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
In a related development, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) revealed progress in its anti-drug efforts in Basilan province. Maharani Gadaoni-Tosoc, director of PDEA-9, announced that ten barangays in Isabela City had recently been declared drug-cleared by the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing (ROCBDC).
The declaration was made after a comprehensive evaluation of the barangays’ compliance with the Barangay Drug Clearing Program. Gadaoni-Tosoc commended the collaborative efforts of local officials and law enforcement agencies in achieving the milestone, which she said was an essential step in combating illegal drugs in the region.