ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police arrested two allegedly notorious drug dealers, and confiscated from them about 264 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P1.8 million during a drug buy-bust operation in Barangay Sta. Catalina in this city.
Zamboanga Peninsula Police (PRO-9) Director Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Genaro E. Ylagan said Sunday, January 31, policemen, led by P/Maj. Chester N Natividad, arrested the two alleged drug pushers about 8:49 pm on Saturday, January 30.
Ylagan identified the drug suspects as Hadji Laila Lacastesantos, 55, female; and Abdulasis Lacastesantos, 56, male; and both residents of Barangay Sta. Catalina in this city.
Confiscated from them were four heat sealed packs of suspected shabu weighing more or less 264 grams, one sling bag, and ₱1,000-bills which were used as boodle money.
Both suspects were brought to the detention cell of Zamboanga City Police Station 11 (Central), and will be charge for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Meanwhile, in Tawi-Tawi, a drug suspect was killed in an armed confrontation with government forces during a joint law enforcement operation in the island Barangay of Bintawlan Island in South Ubian, Tawi-Tawi at dawn on Saturday, January 30.
Armed Force of the Philippines- Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WestMinCom) Commander Lt Gen Corleto Vinluan, Jr. reported Sunday the operation was conducted by the combined elements of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-6 and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-9 in this city
Vinluan said the suspect, sensing the presence of the government forces, opened fire at the approaching lawmen which forced our troops to retaliate, killing the suspect on the spot.
Recovered from the suspect were an M16 rifle, an M14 rifle, a caliber-45 pistol, and assorted drug paraphernalia
“Our troops continue to scour the area while the neutralized personality and seized items were turned over to the PDEA for proper disposition,” said Lt. Col. Noel Calendatas, Commanding Officer of the MBLT-6.