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[av_heading heading=’Suspected Marawi drug group member caught ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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ILOILO City – Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested a man they claimed was a member of the “Marawi drug group.”
The 69-year-old Mulliloda Ander of Butig, Lanao del Sur was caught in a buy-bust operation around 9:30 a.m. yesterday on Huervana Street, La Paz district.
He sold five grams of shabu worth P20,000 to a PDEA undercover personnel, said Regional Director Wardley Getalla.
When Ander was frisked, PDEA found 20 more grams of shabu.
The total value of shabu recovered from the suspect reached P120,000, said Getalla.
The Marawi drug group operates in this city and Bacolod, according to the director.
It was unclear if the suspect had ties with the Maute terrorist group. In September, President Rodrigo Duterte said drug money fueled the operation of the terrorist group that attacked Marawi on May 23.
Fighters from Maute as well as Abu Sayyaf took control of Marawi — a Muslim-majority city with a population of 200,000 in Mindanao.
In November 2016, the Maute group occupied the town center of Butig, Lanao del Sur. The military in June 2016 captured Camp Darul Iman in Butig, said to be a stronghold of the Maute group.
It took PDEA over two weeks to finalize a deal with Ander, said Getalla.
“We found it hard to transact with him. He was so wise. Palipat-lipat siya ng area kaya nahirapan kami mag-arrest sa kanya,” he told Panay News.
Getalla said Ander’s shabu supply came from Mindanao.
Ander, however, denied trafficking shabu. He admitted being a frequent visitor but as a domestic tourist.
“Marami sila dito at may mga local contacts. We received reports that medyo malaki ang dinadala niya na illegal drugs dito,” said Getalla.
Citing intelligence information, the director said the Marawi drug group started operating in Iloilo City a year ago after the death of suspected drug lord Melvin Odicta Sr.
They stepped up their operation after another drug lord, Richard Prevendido, was killed in a police operation this September, said Getalla.
Ander was detained at the PDEA Region 6 detention facility in Fort San Pedro. He would be charged with violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, said Getalla.
Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana supported the President’s claim of large-scale drug manufacturing in Marawi. He said the government received reports that the supply of shabu or methamphetamine being distributed in Mindanao were coming from Lanao del Sur.
Lorenzana mentioned an unnamed Maute family member listed on the President’s “narcolist” of politicians in the illegal drug trade.
“The proceeds of the narcotics are being used for these terroristic activities there,” Lorenzana said./PN
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