Maguindanao town councilor arrested for shabu possession

COTABATO CITY -- Police and anti-narcotics agentshave filed charges against a Maguindanao town councilorand his wife after their arrest forfor possession of prohibited drugs, DXMS Radyo Bida reported today. Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-ARMM) identified the suspect as Sammy Macmod Nandang, 33, president of Association of Barangay Chairpersons of the town of Talitay, Maguindanao and his wife Alicia Hashim Nandang, 32. Nandang who ran as regional assembly member of the ARMM' regional legislative assembly representing Maguindanao's second district is leading the race based on partial/unofficial tally.He is currently an ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Bayan of Talitay, Maguindanao. Armed with search warrants issued by Judge Bansawan Ibrahim of Regional Trial Court Branch 13, the joint police, PDEA and military forces raided the house of Nandang along SPDA village, Barangay Semba, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao at 10 p.m. Tuesday. The raiding team seized two sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, more known as shabu, from Nandang's house with an estimated market value of more than P75,000. PDEA-ARMM operatives said Nandang was included in the PDEA's order of battle.