PDEA, cops bust village councilor, SK official in BARMM

COTABATO CITY – Law enforcers separately arrested a barangay councilor here and a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) official in the Maguindanao town of Parang for shabu possession, authorities said Wednesday.

In a statement, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) identified the arrested village councilor here as Ivann dela Fuente Ampang of Barangay Poblacion 7.

The PDEA raiding team, together with the military and National Bureau of Investigation–BARMM operatives, swooped down on Ampang’s residence at Datu Siang St. of the village around 8:40 p.m. following a buy-bust operation.

“A concerned citizen reported the illegal activities of Ampang that prompted PDEA-BARMM to launch an operation against him on Tuesday night,” PDEA-BARMM said in a statement.

Confiscated during the operation were six pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing 5 grams of shabu worth PPH34,000, the buy-bust money, and other pieces of evidence.

Meanwhile, Parang, Maguindanao police officers manning a checkpoint also arrested Tuesday afternoon Camidon Dima, 34, the SK treasurer of Barangay Libungan-Torreta, Pigcawayan, North Cotabato.

“Police implementing the election gun ban flagged down Dima for regular inspection but found the shabu items instead,” Lt. Col. Joseph D. Macatangay, Parang police chief, said in a report Wednesday.

Dima did not resist arrest when cops seized the illegal stuff worth about PHP70,000.

Charges for violation of RA 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 have been separately filed against Ampang and Dima, who are both detained. (PNA)