By Masiding Noor Yahya

COTABATO CITY— Drug enforcement officers have arrested a former village (barangay) chairman and a cohort and confiscated illegal drugs worth P20.4 million in Sulu, authorities said.

In a statement, the Sulu provincial office of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) identified the apprehended suspect as Sherwin Hapasain Talib also known as Sherwin, 39, a former village chief, and Sali Salim Tating, also known as Kael, 58.

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The suspects were nabbed by authorities during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Tulay, Jolo, Sulu at 6:00 p.m. of Friday, November 22, 2024.

Another cohort Wilnor Abduhalim, also known as Hadji, eluded arrest after sensing the presence of the operatives.

PDEA-BARMM officials said confiscated and recovered from the suspects were three pieces of golden packs with refined Chinese tea bags, Chinese characters labeled GUAN YIN WANG, containing a white crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride or Shabu weighing more or less three kilograms with a standard drug price of ₱20,400,000.00), buy-bust money, two units of mobile phones, and various identification cards.

The arrested suspects are now under the custody of Jolo Municipal Police Station while awaiting inquest proceedings for violation of RA 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, it said.

“The success of the operation was the result of the extended support from the 5th Special Action Battalion, Special Action Company Special Action Force, Sulu Police Provincial Office Provincial Intelligence Unit (SPPO PIU), National Intelligence Central Agency Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (NICA BARMM), Jolo Municipal Police Station, Regional Intelligence Unit IX (RIU IX), 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company (1st PMFC), 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (2nd PMFC), Criminal Investigation, Detection Group IX (CIDG IX), and Sulu Maritime Group,” the statement added.