Police, PDEA file charges against 14 persons arrested in anti-drug operations in Zamboanga del Sur

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Aug. 17 (PNA) -– The police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Monday filed charges before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office against 14 persons, 13 of whom were arrested recently in two anti-drug operations in the nearby island town of Margosatubig.

Senior Supt. Michael Nicolas, provincial police director, on Wednesday told the Philippines News Agency that a case for illegal possession of firearms and explosive was also filed against two of the 14 suspects aside for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Charged were the following: Faisal Maito, No. 7 in the drug watch list; Cristopher Moneral; Gomer Alpha; Arwan Isnain; Ruel Apoa; Elmar Calingacion; Acmad Quiazae; Harris Baihakki; Reniel Ranque; Roberto Ponlaroche; Rey Natividad; Alo Alpha; Faruk Kula and Halid Kula.

Nicolas said that except for Halid Kula, all the other suspects were arrested in Sitio Luguimit, Barangay Poblacion, Margosatubig.

He said confiscated from the suspects’ possession were four heat-sealed plastic sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride locally known as "shabu" and other illegal drug paraphernalia.

He said Kula was arrested in Purok San Francisco, Barangay Igat, Margosatubig.

Nicolas said Kula’s father, Faruk, who was the target of the anti-drug operation, was at large since he was not around when the operatives arrived.

He said the raiding team confiscated from the residence of Kula a small-sized packed of shabu, a hand grenade, seven improvised dynamites, an improvised handgun and two homemade shotguns locally known as “sumpak.”

He said a case of illegal possession of firearms and explosives was also filed against the Kulas aside from violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Nicolas disclosed that anti-drug operations were carried by a joint team of policemen, PDEA operatives, Coast Guard personnel and soldiers. (PNA)
LAP/TPGJR/HIROHITO D. CADION

Gunmen rob passenger bus, kill driver in Zamboanga del Sur

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PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Aug. 15 (PNA) -– Police are hunting for seven men behind the PHP300,000 robbery of a passenger bus and the killing of its driver in Dinas town, Zamboanga del Sur early Sunday.

Provincial police director, Sr. Supt. Michael Nicolas, has directed the police of Dimataling, Tabina, San Pablo, Pitogo and San Miguel to assist the Dinas police in tracking down the men.

The Baganian Transit, driven by 59-year-old Diosdado Ritisa, was traveling to Pagadian City from Tabina town when it was waylaid by the seven men in Barangay Proper Dimaya in Dinas at about 7 a.m. Sunday.

One of the men shot Ritisa in the head after all passengers were ordered to disembark from the bus.

The men carted away PHP300,000 in cash, jewelry and mobile phones and fled towards the river in Sitio Balot, Barangay Binuatan in Dinas. (PNA)
CVL/TPGJR/Hirohito D. Cadion

Pagadian City cops uncover new extortion scheme

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PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Aug. 13 (PNA) – Police have warned the public against a new extortion scheme being perpetrated by “gun for hires” through phone calls and text messages.

Senior Supt. Glenn Dulawan, assistant police provincial director for operations, on Saturday issued the warning after they have uncovered the new extortion scheme victimizing businessmen and other individuals in this province.

Dulawan said the modus operandi of the group was to threaten the victim to give in to demands through the use of mobile phone.

At first, Dulawan said, the extortionists would call or send text message introducing themselves as gun for hires and informed the victim that they were already paid 50 percent of the contracted amount to kill him or her.

He said they would then negotiate or demand the victim to settle the remaining 50 percent of the contracted amount in exchange of sparing the victim’s life.

He said the victim would then be instructed to send the payment through money transfer making it difficult for the authorities to conduct entrapment operation.

He advised the public not to be worried once they received call or text message from an unidentified people, citing the scheme was purely extortion.

He said they should immediately report to police once they received call or text message threatening them.

Dulawan said they were already conducting investigation in a bid to unmask the people behind the new extortion scheme victimizing innocent people. (PNA)

RMA/TPGJR/Hirohito D. Cadion

Police: 13,862 drug personalities surrender in Zambo Sur

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Aug. 4 (PNA) -– A total of 13,862 drug personalities have surrendered while one was killed in an anti-drug operation in July, the first month of implementation of project Double Barrel by the police in this province.

Senior Supt. Michael Nicholas, provincial police director, said that 470 of the 13,862 were drug pushers while the 13,392 were users.

Nicolas said they surrendered through the implementation of Double Barrel’s Project Tokhang (Toktok-hangyo or knock and plead) in this province’ one city and 26 municipalities.

Nicolas said the lone fatality was killed since he resisted the police during an anti-drug operation in the nearby municipality of Labangan.

Nicolas is coordinating with the different local government units to rehabilitate the drug personalities that surrendered to them.

The police authorities refer drug personalities to either pushers or users of prohibited drugs. (PNA)
LAP/TPGJR/HIROHITO D. CADION

ZSPPO Provincial Director SSupt. Michael Nicholas

in an interview with CNN Correspondent “Jong Cadion”