Woman 'linked' to terror group busted by PDEA-BARMM

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the police are together guarding against possible retaliations by a terrorist group for the arrest of an alleged female member in Wao, Lanao del Sur on Wednesday, October 30.

Agents of the PDEA-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao clamped down the 55-year-old Norma Macalaba after selling to them 340,000 worth of shabu in Barangay Kili Kili East in Wao, an operation premised on reports by local officials about her drug peddling activities in Lanao del Sur.

Gil Cesario Castro, director of PDEA-BARMM and Bangsamoro regional police chief Brig. Gen. Romeo Jaime Macapaz separately told reporters on Saturday, November 2, that they are now validating reports by confidential informants that Macalaba has links with the Dawlah Islamiya.

Macalaba is now in the custody of the PDEA-BARMM, awaiting prosecution for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

PDEA-BARMM’s operation that resulted in the arrest of Macalaba and confiscation from her of P340,000 worth of shabu was assisted by different units of PRO-BAR, the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade and the 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion.