Arrested Cotabato ‘drug peddler’ yields P1.7-M shabu

SEIZED. The estimated PHP1.7-million worth of the illegal “shabu” drug substance seized from drug suspect Ezrael Mamalangka around 2 p.m. Wednesday (July 18, 2018) along Magallanes Street in Cotabato City. (Photo by City Mayor’s Office via PNA)

COTABATO CITY–Anti-narcotics operatives arrested Wednesday afternoon a suspected big-time drug peddler and recovered from him an estimated PHP1.7 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu”.

Mayor Cynthia Guiani Sayadi lauded Juvenal Azurin, regional director of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-ARMM) for the successful anti-drug operation.

Azurin identified the suspect as Ezrael Mamalangka, 36, of Talayan, Maguindanao, but temporarily residing in Barangay Rosary Heights 10 here.

Seized from Mamalangka were four huge sachets of suspected “shabu” with an estimated street value of PHP1.7 million, a pouch, the suspect’s wallet, mobile phone, and a motorbike.

Mamalangka was arrested at about 2 p.m. after he handed over some of the stuff to a PDEA poseur-buyer during a buy-bust operation along Magallanes Street, this city.

Authorities believed Mamalangka is part of a big-time drug syndicate operating in Maguindanao and nearby provinces.

Guiani-Sayadi has repeatedly warned drug dealers and other lawless elements that the city government will not stop enforcing the laws, even in the dead of night.

The lady mayor regularly leads local police and military authorities in “Ronda Patrol,” a nightly campaign against lawless elements, drug pushers and peddlers, including curfew violators.