MAGUINDANAO, Philippines — At least P1.3 million worth of shabu was seized yesterday following a search at the house of a former official of the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), authorities said.
The real target of the police operation, identified as Mike Sittie, managed to escape, according to Juvenal Azurin, chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Agents of the PDEA-BARMM and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) searched for Sittie in four adjoining houses in Barangay Manggay in Talitay town at dawn.
One of the houses where the drugs were reportedly found is owned by former ARMM assemblyman Sidik Ameril, who is reportedly included in the narco list of President Duterte.
Sittie, an alleged leader of a criminal group linked to the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, has been wanted for kidnapping and car theft cases pending in several courts.
Azurin said the raid was based on reports supplied by residents of Talitay that Sittie is also engaged in drug trafficking.
Troopers from the Army’s 6th Infantry Division and members of the Maguindanao police assisted the PDEA-BARMM and CIDG during the raid.
Azurin said Ameril’s wife Janine, who was at home during the raid, is being held at the municipal police station.
Like Sittie, police have yet to arrest Ameril.
Authorities are preparing to file charges against the Amerils, Azurin said.