Bigtime drug peddler, wife nabbed in Cotabato City drug buy bust operation

COTABATO CITY – Government forces arrested a leader of Moro rebel group and his wife during drug buy bust operations here Wednesday that also led to the seizure of P3.4 million worth of shabu.

Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, in a public statement through her FB page, said the operation was jointly conducted by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Region 12 and in the Bangsamoro region, local police and Criminal Investigation and Detection group.

Arrested was Joharie Adam Talib alias “Alex,” platoon leader of 3^rd Platoon, Charlie Company of 105^th base command of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (BIAF-MILF) and his wife Rahma Kalibu Talib alias “Bai.” Talib is a resident of Lipa, Barira, Maguindanao.

The couple agreed to sell P3.2 million worth of shabu to a poseur buyer and the hand off area was beside the parked Suzuki mini-van at the Cotabato City plaza at 4:35 p.m.

Government forces immediately arrested the couple after they handed over the stuff to an undercover operative and took the money.

Seized from the couple were 10 sachets of suspected shabu (about 500 grams), passports, identification cards and a Suzuki mini-van bearing plate number 1201-469383.

Also seized were one genuine P1,000 bill placed atop photo-copied bills in 12 bundles.

The couple is now under the custody of PDEA-BARMM and charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 are being prepared against them.

Photo shows Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi witnesses the accounting of illegal stuff seized fromt the suspects (Talib in green shirt and his wife in yellow dress).