COTABATO CITY – Anti-narcotics operatives arrested two “big-time” drug peddlers following separate operations in coordination with police and Army units in the North Cotabato town of Kabacan Monday.
Naravy Duquiatan, regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Region 12 or Soccsksargen, identified one of the arrested individuals as Donald Sanchez, 37, a house painter and a resident of Zamora Street, Kabacan based on a search warrant issued by a local court.
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Seized from Sanchez during the 4 a.m. operation were three big sachets of shabu with an estimated market value of PHP34,000 and a canister containing assorted shabu paraphernalia, Duquiatan said.
An hour later, PDEA agents also arrested Roger Campos, 35, also a painter and a resident of Barangay Osias, Kabacan, North Cotabato, based on a search warrant issued by a local court.
Two sachets of shabu worth PHP20,000 were recovered from Campos.
Duquiatan said the two suspects are members of an identified drug group operating in Kabacan and nearby municipalities.
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“Despite calls of the local police for them to submit themselves for intervention, the suspects continued with their illegal drug activities,” Duquiatan said.
The suspects, now detained at the Kabacan town police lock-up cell, are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.