Davao high-value target, son fall anew in drug buy-bust ops

Map of Davao City and Southern Mindanao

DAVAO CITY—A Maguindanao official, her son and another person were formally charged at the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office on Monday for violation of the Comprehensive Drugs Law after they were arrested during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Ma-a here on Sunday.

It was actually the second time that Fatima Baliwan, 44, chair of the Association of Barangay Captains of Northern Kabuntalan, Maguindanao; and her son, Norodin, had been arrested on drug charges.

On February 9, they were also collared in Cotabato City following a buy-bust operation and yielded a huge sachet of suspected shabu and a firearm.

On Sunday, agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (Pdea) conducted a buy-bust operation at Woodridge in Barangay Ma-a here and arrested the Baliwans and their helper, Noria Diyao.

Noli Nephi Dimaandal, the Pdea 11 spokesperson, said seized from the suspects during the buy-bust operation was about 50 grams of suspected shabu worth P600,000. They also yielded some cash.

Dimaandal described the Maguindanao official as a “high value target” and members of the Baliwan Drug Group.

He confirmed that the suspects had earlier been arrested in Cotabato City on a similar crime but it was not clear how they were able to get out of prison. JPV