Maguindanao town vice mayor arrested over illegal drugs

COTABATO CITY — Police authorities arrested on Thursday, Talitay, Maguindanao Vice Mayor Abdul Wahab Sabal as he stepped out of the Cotabato Airport in Datu Odin Sinsuat town after arriving from Manila.

Senior Supt. Jimmy Daza, head of the police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (CIDG-ARMM), said Sabal was arrested by agents of the police’s Anti-Illegal Drug Group past 12 noon.

Sabal did not resist arrest but he was obviously surprised after the arresting authorities presented to him a warrant of arrest, he said.

Daza refused to give further details on Sabal’s arrest and where the vice mayor had been taken.

Sabal and his elder brother, Mayor Montasir Sabal of Talitay were among those identified by President Rodrigo Duterte as “narco-politicians” on August 7.

The elder Sabal had admitted he was once involved in the illegal drugs trade but added that he already stopped.

The siblings initially surrendered to Senior Supt. Nickson Muksan, the Maguindanao police director.

The next day, the Sabal brothers appeared before Philippine National Police chief, Director General Ronald dela Rosa in Camp Crame.  SFM

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