DAVAO CITY (June 2) – A former police officer and an active barangay tanod were arrested in a drug buy-bust operation conducted by the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) in Barangay Diwan, Mahayag on Tuesday.
The suspects were identified as Khalid, a former police officer who went on Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) and was previously assigned to the Pandag Municipal Police Station in Maguindanao Province in 2013, and Mario, an active Community Volunteer Organization (CVO) member or barangay tanod in the same locality.
Authorities said the duo were caught selling suspected shabu during the entrapment operation. Recovered from the suspects were multiple sachets of suspected shabu weighing over 10 grams, a .38 caliber revolver, two live rounds of ammunition, two mobile phones, and boodle money amounting to PHP 10,000 used in the operation.
The seized illegal drugs will undergo laboratory examination, while the suspects are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and possible charges for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Police are continuing their investigation to determine if the suspects are part of a wider drug distribution network in the area.