KORONADAL CITY, Philippines – Two suspected drug couriers, including an alleged a member of the Moro National Liberation Front, were arrested after a brief firefight with operatives of the Special Operations Group (SOG) of South Cotabato police and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Surallah town in South Cotabato province on Thursday afternoon, police said.
Chief Inspector Barney Condes, chief of the Special Operations Group of the South Cotabato Police Provincial Office, identified the suspected drug couriers as Domingo Biñas of Barangay Talahik of Surallah town and Darwin Ambalgan of Barangay Ambalgan of the municipality of Sto. Niño.
Condes said the two suspects were nabbed after a 10-minute gunfight with his men and agents of the PDEA in Central Mindanao region.
“Hindi namin nahuli ang dalawa nilang mga kasama na puro armado ng high-powered firearms dahil mabilis na tumakas habang nagpapalitan kami ng mga putok,” Condes said.
Two sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and drug paraphernalias were seized from the suspects, Condes said.
Condes said Ambalgan is an MNLF member whose appointment was signed by a certain Brigadier General Al Fatah Imam, chairman of the MNLF’s Kutawato State Revolutionary Command.
Condes said they also recovered a mission order, issued by the Army’s 601st Brigade under the 6th Infantry Division based in Awang, Maguindanao, in Ambalgan’s possession.
The suspects had attempted to sell the shabu to a police asset in Purok Masinadyahaon in Barangay Dajay in Surallah town, he said.
The buy-bust was set following reports that said suspects, who were allegedly protected by armed men, were selling shabu in the area.
Condes said they are now preparing the charges against the suspects, who are under the custody of the regional office of the PDEA based in nearby General Santos City.