The Philippine National Police in Negros Oriental is continuously conducting surveillance and monitoring of personalities from Mindanao following the recent arrests of three Muslim dried fish traders for alleged shabu peddling in Dumaguete City.
This comes as the PNP and the military continue to remain on heightened alert because of the threat posed by the Abu Sayyaf here as well as in other parts of the region, specifically Apo Island, Siquijor and Sumilon Island as well as Cebu and Bohol.
Acting PNP provincial director Sr. Supt. Henry Biñas said Wednesday that the three who were arrested had different addresses in Mindanao, such as Tawi-tawi and Jolo, Sulu but were trading dried fish in Dumaguete City during their arrests.
According to Biñas, they could not yet establish a direct link between these two Muslim personalities to the Abu Sayyaf Group, although he said there is a remote possibility there could be some ties somewhere.
With the help of the local Muslim community, the PNP in Negros Oriental is on the lookout for the possible delivery of more shabu to the province via inter-island sea travel, considering that Mindanao, particularly through the port of Dapitan and Zamboanga, Biñas said.
Sr. Insp. Don Richmon Conag of the PNP Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit in the Province disclosed that one of the suspects was found to have a photograph of himself carrying an M-203 grenade launcher stored in his mobile phone.
But during his arrest, Judy Raja did not yield any firearm, said Conag.
Raja refused to disclose to police investigators details of the grenade launcher and whether he had links to the Abu Sayyaf or other extremist groups in Mindanao, Conag added.
Judy Bapora Raja, alias Loloy, 44 years old, married and a resident of Zone 6 in Barangay Looc, Dumaguete City, was arrested weeks ago during a police buy-bust operation at which he sold suspected shabu granules to an undercover operative, according to Sr. Insp. Conag.
Incidental to his lawful arrest, Raja also yielded another plastic sachet with suspected shabu inside, with a total estimated value of P48,000.00 based on the Dangerous Drugs Board value, the PPDEU chief here disclosed.
Hours after Raja’s arrest, a composite team of operatives from the PNP and other law enforcement units swooped down on Jul Saiyadi Tingkahan and Almakdul Mudam Hammain, both male, of legal age, and also residing in Barangay Looc, Dumaguete, during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Piapi.
The operatives recovered on big transparent plastic sachet of suspected shabu granules weighing about seven grams from Tingkahan and a medium-sized plastic sachet also containing suspect shabu granules from Hammain, weighing about three grams.
Sr. Insp. Conag said the total weight of about 10.3 grams, including the “shabu” used in the buy-bust operation, was pegged at a DDB value of P154,500.00.
The law enforcers also confiscated a Bongo Mazda pick-up truck from the suspects.
According to Sr. Insp. Conag, the three suspects apparently know each other and the delivery of suspected shabu in both police operations were connected.
Conag disclosed that the selling of dried fish here could be a front for these Muslim traders, which has led them to believe that there could be more shabu delivery in the coming weeks.
Although he said there are other Muslim traders of “bulad” or dried fish in the local markets but these are verified to be legitimate.
During questioning, the suspects gave different addresses such as in Siasi, Bongao in Tawi-tawi, Tituan in Zamboanga City and Jolo, Sulu, said Conag.
The suspects claimed they had different addresses because of the nature of their livelihood as dried fish traders.
Meanwhile, Sr. Insp. Conag has assured that they are also conducting surveillance and intelligence gathering on potential “drug personalities” who have “unexplained wealth”, such as building huge homes, acquiring high-end vehicles and a sudden change in lifestyle that are not commensurate to their income.
Some do not have a steady income or relatives abroad that would support a lifestyle change, said Conag. (Judy Flores Partlow)
