TWO people, including an alleged member of a lawless group, were arrested while another escaped in a joint law enforcement operation in Zamboanga Sibugay, the police reported Wednesday.
Chief Superintendent Billy Beltran, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula (Western Mindanao) director, identified the arrested suspects as Roldan Guilingan and Jumli Samdani.
Beltran said that Guilingan is an alleged member of the Barahama Ali syndicated crime group while Samdani is a high-value target drug personality.
Another high-value target drug personality identified as Asbi Samdani managed to elude arrest.
Beltran said the two suspects were arrested in a law enforcement operation by way of serving arrest and search warrants around 5:45 a.m., Tuesday, in the village of Tenan, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.
Beltran said that Guilingan has standing warrant of arrest for the crime of murder and frustrated murder issued by the court in Ipil.
He said the search warrants were issued against the Samdanis, who are known drug personalities, for violation of Republic Act 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and R.A. 10591 also known as the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
He said recovered from the house of the Samdanis were: 14 sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as "shabu," with estimated street value of P7,000 and illegal drug paraphernalia.
He said the arrested persons were detained at the police headquarters of Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, for the filing of appropriate charges against them.
The joint law enforcement operation was carried out by police and military operatives and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. (SunStar Philippine)