Maguindanao village chief, wife nabbed for illegal drugs, gun

KABACAN, NORTH COTABATO – Narcotics and Philippine Army forces arrested a first-termer village chair of Maguindanao, his wife, and two others here Monday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said.

Arrested were Nestor Salama, 47, village chairman of Barangay Balatongkayo, Datu Montawal town of Maguindanao, and resident of Mercado Street, Barangay Poblacion, Kabacan, North Cotabato; and his
wife Norhata, 42.

Also arrested were Kabunto Batunan, 39; and Johari Zombaga, 20. The PDEA classified the four as “high-value targets.”

Juvenal Azurin, PDEA director for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and Naravy Duquitan, PDEA-12 director, led the operation.

Kabacan is under PDEA-12 while Datu Montawal town is under PDEA-ARMM.

The raiding team, armed with search warrants, proceeded to the house of Salama at 4 a.m.

Seized during the operation were 11 sachets of suspected shabu weighing 43 grams worth about P292,000; shabu paraphernalia, a cal. 40 pistol, ammunition, ATM cards, assorted receipts, and cash.

“Salama has been in the PDEA-ARMM drug watch list,” Azurin said, adding that the suspect had peddled illegal drugs in Maguindanao and North Cotabato.

Cases for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and Illegal Possession of Firearms and Explosives will be filed against the suspects.

They were locked up in the PDEA ARMM detention facility in Cotabato City.