COTABATO CITY(January 26) — A 42-year-old woman allegedly linked to remnants of the now-defunct Dawlah Islamiya terror group was arrested after selling shabu worth ₱340,000 to undercover operatives in Taraka, Lanao del Sur, authorities said Sunday.
Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency–Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) seized 50 grams of shabu during the buy-bust operation in Barangay Sigayan Proper on Saturday, January 24.
PDEA-BARMM regional director Benjamin Recites III said the suspect was apprehended by non-uniformed PDEA agents, with support from personnel of the Taraka and Molundo municipal police stations and various units of the Police Regional Office–BARMM.
The operation was also coordinated with local executives, reflecting heightened cooperation between law enforcement and local government units amid ongoing security concerns in parts of Lanao del Sur.
Recites said the operation was triggered by reports from the suspect’s relatives and local officials regarding her alleged drug-peddling activities in Taraka and nearby Molundo town.
Provincial officials and military intelligence sources from the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade separately said the suspect was allegedly connected to remaining members of Dawlah Islamiya, who are believed to be hiding in remote areas along the tri-boundaries of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and Cotabato provinces.
Authorities said Dawlah Islamiya has been largely dismantled following sustained military and police operations, but small, fragmented groups are believed to remain, occasionally turning to criminal activities such as drug trafficking to finance their movements.
Security officials said the latest arrest highlights the continuing link between illegal drugs and local security threats in conflict-affected communities, prompting closer coordination among the PDEA, police, military units, and barangay leaders.
Recites said the suspect remains in PDEA custody and will face charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The seized shabu will be presented as evidence in court.
Local officials said intensified anti-drug and security operations are expected to continue in Lanao del Sur as authorities work to prevent criminal and extremist elements from regaining footholds in previously cleared areas.
