MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato — Anti-narcotics agents, backed by police and military forces, arrested Thursday morning, October 21, a mayoral candidate for possession of illegal drugs.
Lt. Col. Rolly Oranza, Midsayap town police chief, identified the suspect as Tom Nandang, also known as Datukon Nandang, 52, who is temporarily residing in Barangay Upper Glad 1 here.
“Nandang is a registered voter of Northern Kabuntalan, Maguindanao, and is seeking the mayoralty post in that town for the 2022 polls,” he said.
Oranza said agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 12 (Soccsksargen), the Midsayap police, and elements of the Army’s 34th Infantry Battalion jointly served the search warrant against Nandang at about 4 a.m. Thursday.
Nandang did not resist arrest but vehemently denied he was into illegal drugs.
PDEA agents seized 10 huge sachets of suspected shabu estimated to be worth P5 million and a .45 caliber pistol from Nandang.
Nandang is now under PDEA-12 custody and will be charged with the violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act).