20 drug suppliers nabbed in Cotabato riads

KIDAPAWAN CITY -At least 20 suspected drug suppliers, including a commander of a lawless group, were arrested when operatives of the Cotabato Provincial Police Office (CPPO) launched simultaneous raids in different municipalities in North Cotabato, Friday. Armed with search warrants issued by a local court, the CPPO operatives raided at least 20 suspected drug dens in towns of Pigcawayan, Midsayap, Alamada, President Roxas, Kabacan, Makilala, Tulunan, Aleosan, Antipas, and Magpet, and in Kidapawan City. Among those arrested were Faisal Tawalang, Jack Mangko in Tulunan Rene Jun Sante in Antipas Herson Gerozaga and his nephew, Millard Gerozaga Davin in Makilala Melvin Canete in Kidapawan City Joy Tolentino and Kusain Sampillo in Pigcawayan Dres Endayla in Midsayap Marlon Polino in Magpet Muroy Ofngol in Alamada and Johnny Flores in President Roxas. The town of Kabacan has the most number of suspects arrested during the operations. Of the eight suspects, the police arrested a certain Omar Sultan, who is also known as Commander Derby Gani Malok. Malok, data showed, is leader of the dreaded Pentagon Group operating in North Cotabato and in other parts of Central Mindanao. Police also arrested Malok’s aides identified as Nik Adam Usain, Sanjali Ismael Maganaca, Rajib Pilas Inggim, and Abuhurayra Omar Hajilab, all residents of Barangay Lower Paatan, Kabacan. Malok, records from the Kabacan Police showed, was among those tagged as behind the killing in January 2013 of Kabacan Vice-Mayor Pol Dulay. Malok’s group was also accused of masterminding the series of grenade throwing incidents that recently rocked Kabacan town. Senior Superintendent Alex Tagum, CPPO provincial director, said seized shabu were estimated at half a million pesos. The biggest, Tagum said, were those recovered in Makilala town from two suspected drug suppliers – Gerozaga who identified himself as ‘ordinary mechanic’ and Davin who told police he is just a ‘poor tricycle driver.’Both denied they owned the drugs and accused the police of planting the evidences. Seized from the suspects were several sachets of shabu with street value at P130 thousand and drug money worth P65 thousand.Also taken from them was an unlicensed caliber pistol and several magazines and cartridges of bullets. According to Makilala police chief, Senior Inspector Elias Colonia, the suspects and their hideouts located at Barangay Saguing had long been placed under surveillance and monitoring. Tagum said the suspects are now locked inside police headquarters while charges are being readied against them.