GOVERNMENT authorities arrested seven people, including a government employee, and seized more than P20,000 worth of suspected “shabu” in separate anti-drug operations in the Zamboanga Peninsula, the police said Saturday, July 13.
Police Major Helen Galvez, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula information officer, said that five of the seven suspects were arrested in Zamboanga City while the other two in Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte provinces.
Galvez said those arrested in Zamboanga City were identified as the following: Mohammad Ladia, 40, Mohammad Jakaria, 33; Mansul Marad, 32, and Alvar Teres, 16, all pedicab drivers, and Edil Sali, 33, factory worker.
She said they were caught in possession of some P4,500 worth of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) packed in 10 heat-sealed plastic sachets, and P200 marked money when arrested around 1:30 a.m. Saturday in Recodo village.
The police officer said Norman Parame, 25, was caught in a drug bust around 10:20 a.m. Friday at Purok Bombil in Sugod village, Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur.
She said Parame, an employee of the Pagadian City government and a drug surrenderer, was caught in possession of some P15,000 worth of suspected shabu weighing five grams, a cellular phone and a bundle of P5,000 boodle money topped with genuine P1,000.
She added that Joel Sabijon, 45, was also arrested around 10:45 p.m. Friday in a drug bust at Purok Buli in Minaog village, Dipolog City, the capital of Zamboanga del Norte.
Seized from the possession of Sabijon were one big-sized and three small-sized heat-sealed plastic sachets of suspected shabu, P500 marked money, P60 cash believed as proceeds money and other illegal drug paraphernalia, she said.
Galvez added the suspects were detained while charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 are set to be filed against them. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)