By Noel Y. Punzalan
COTABATO CITY, Oct. 16 (PNA) -– Five persons engaged in illegal drug trade were arrested by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), authorities said Thursday.
PDEA-ARMM Regional Director Felimon Ruiz said arrested Wednesday in Barangay Brar, Talayan, Maguindanao were Abdulsalam Sammy Pakan, of Barangay Brar, unemployed, and Wahida Pakan, 39 of Talayan, Maguindanao.
Abdulsalam Sammy did not resist arrest when lawmen collared him shortly after he received marked money from a PDEA agent who posed as buyer.
PDEA seized from him were 15 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as “shabu,” with a market value of P90,000.
Hours after the arrest of Pakan, another PDEA agent posed as buyer of shabu from Wahida Pakan, who also did not resist arrest when lawmen collared her.
Wahida, a relative of Abdulsalam Sammy, admitted to selling prohibited drugs due to lack of employment.
In Kidapawan City, joint operatives of police and PDEA agents also arrested in separate raids Wednesday and Thursday, three persons, including the 4th most wanted drug pusher in the city.
They were identified as Omar Maruhom, 39, Muslima Sarip alias Noralin, 32 and Rohannie Salik, 30, all of Kidapawan City.
Authorities seized from them at least 25 grams of shabu with an estimated cost of P160,000.
All the suspects, now detained at PDEA-ARMM detention cell, have been charged for violations of Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)