PAGADIAN CITY –– A policeman, a village councilor and three others were nabbed in a drug bust along the national highway at San Jose District, Pagadian City early on Friday.
Cesario Judilla Jr., chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Zamboanga del Sur, identified the arrested suspects as Police Senior Master Sergeant Ricky Usman Sabturani, who is assigned at the Basilan Police Provincial Office and Barangay Councilman Omar Sadon of Bayanga Norte village in Matanog town, Maguindanao.
Also arrested were Jam Macaraya, Daniel Kusain, and Amis Juma Anas.
The suspects were on board a Hi-Ace van with plate number DAK 1806 when trapped by the PDEA operating team and found in possession of 18 large sachets of suspected shabu (crystal meth) valued at P3.4 million and nine bundles of marked money.
Judilla said Sadon denied he was part of the illegal drug operation, claiming he had no idea about the transaction as he was only hired to drive the van from Maguindanao and to pick up someone at the Pagadian Bus Terminal.
Sabturani has also denied involvement with the drug trade.
Judilla, however, said Sabturani and Sadon would not only face drug possession charges but would also be subjected to administrative cases since they are a government employee and an elected official, respectively. (Editor: Leti Z. Boniol)