Suspect killed, 3 others arrested in drug raids in Mindanao

TAGUM CITY – A drug suspect was killed and three others were arrested in separate anti-drugs operation in Southern Mindanao over the weekend, authorities said Monday.

At least P1.8 million worth of illegal drugs were also seized in raids in Compostela Valley and Davao del Norte provinces.

In this city, Tominaman Candao was killed after he allegedly shot it out with soldiers, police officers, and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) during a buy-bust operation.

His cohort, Olikay Sabdullah, is now being treated at the Davao Regional Medical Center here after getting wounded during the brief gunfight in San Miguel village.

A report from PDEA Southern Mindanao said the incident happened as Candao attempted to flee on his vehicle during the buy-bust on Saturday. He allegedly opened fire at authorities.

Aside from his 380-caliber pistol, authorities also recovered from the slain suspect two packs of crystal meth (shabu) weighing 107.67 grams and worth over P1.6 million.

In Laak, Compostela Valley, police officers and anti-narcotics agents also arrested a village official and her militiaman husband during an anti-drugs operation on Saturday.

Senior Supt. Marvin Pepino, the Compostela Valley police chief, identified the arrested suspects as Rahima Guiday, 48, a councilor of Barangay Concepcion, and her 59-year old husband Akmad, a member of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu).

Pepino said the operation was carried out by virtue of two search warrants issued by Judge Celestial Gonzales of Mabini, Compostela Valley against the village official at her home in Purok 4, Concepcion around 6 a.m.

During the operation, authorities recovered from the village councilor 13 grams of suspected crystal meth worth P150,000, some 250 grams of dried marijuana valued at P10,000 and five empty sachets with cyrstal meth residue, Pepino said.

Also seized from the couple were two handguns, a fragmentation grenade, and some 28 rounds of ammunition for various firearms.

Rahima, Pepino said, had been tagged as the sixth top drug personality in Compostela Valley. /atm