COTABATO CITY, Oct. 7 (PNA) -- Joint police
and military authorities arrested on Thursday five men believed to be big time
illegal drug pushers operating in Maguindanao, authorities said.
Lieutenant Colonel Reiner Sarmiento,
commander of the 19th Infantry Battalion, said his unit backed up elements of
the Regional Intelligence Division of the PNP and local police authorities in
serving the warrants of arrest against the suspects.
Judge Bansawan Ibrahim of Regional Trial
Court Branch 13 issued the warrants of arrest against Macky Dumpao, 46; Cobra
Ezong alias Tato, 30; Montero Dumpao, 18; Menzing Galidig, 18; and Abu Sopian,
20, all residents of Barangay Timbangan, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao.
Joint police operatives raided the house of
the suspects in Barangay Timbangan at about 6 a.m. The suspects did not resist
arrest and some were still asleep when the government forces arrived.
The raiding team seized an Armalite rifle with M-203 grenade launcher, a 40 mm ammunition, bullets and magazines and a digital weighing scale.
Sarmiento said the suspects are now detained
at Shariff Aguak police office.
Sarmiento said the Army is backing all police
operations in the implementation of Oplan Double Barrel in the province.
Police investigators are also determining the
affiliation of the suspects following intelligence reports they were suspected
of members of outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). (PNA)
