FOUR individuals were arrested while a minor was rescued in separate law enforcement operations that resulted to the confiscated of over P22.1 million worth of illegal drugs in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) and Zamboanga Peninsula, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
The PDEA-Barmm identified two of the arrested suspects as alias Bradel, of legal age and alias Ivan, 22.
The PDEA-Zamboanga Peninsula did not release the identities of the arrested suspects except to say they include a 39-year-old female drug den maintainer, and a 28-year-old male drug den employee.
A 17-year-old female, who was found inside the drug den, was rescued and placed under protective custody under applicable laws.
The PDEA-Barmm said Bradel was arrested after a shootout that ensued during a joint buy-bust operation on Monday, September 28, in Pababag village, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.
The shootout ensued after Bradel and his cohorts opened fire after they sensed that they were dealing with law enforcers. Bradel’s cohorts managed to escape.
Bradel was arrested by policemen, who responded to a shooting incident report and was subsequently identified by the poseur-buyer as the person who handed over the illegal drugs during the transaction.
The PDEA-Barmm said that seized during the buy-bust operation were approximately three kilograms of suspected shabu worth P20.4 million.
The PDEA-Tawi-Tawi provincial office personnel launched the buy-bust operation with the support of the 4th Marine Rifle Battalion, and BongaoMunicipal Police Station.
The PDEA-Barmm said that Ivan was arrested in a buy-bust operation Tuesday, September 29, in Poblacion 5 village, Cotabato City.
Confiscated during the buy-bust operation was some 250 grams of suspected shabu packed in five heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets worth P1.7 million.
Also recovered were one mobile phone, buy-bust money, one belt bag, one plastic bag, and one paper bag.
The PDEA–Maguindanao del Norte provincial office launched the buy-bust operation with the support of different police units and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.
Meanwhile, a drug den was dismantled during a buy-bust operation on Sunday, September 27, in Danlugan village, Pagadian City, the capital of Zamboanga del Sur province.
The PDEA-Zamboanga Peninsula said a 39-year-old female drug den maintainer and a 28-year-old male employee were arrested, while a 17-year-old female was rescued during the buy-bust operation.
The two adult suspects were detained while the rescued minor was placed under protective custody under applicable laws.
The PDEA-Zamboanga Peninsula said confiscated during the buy-bust operation were approximately seven grams of suspected shabu packed in eight heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets worth P47,600.
Also recovered were aluminum foil strips, an improvised tooter, an improvised scooper, two disposable lighters, one genuine P500 bill used as buy-bust money, and one cellular phone.
The buy-bust operation was conducted by PDEA jointly with different police units, Philippine Coast Guard, and 53rd Infantry Battalion.
The PDEA said that all of the arrested suspect will face charges for violation the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (SunStar Zamboanga)