COTABATO CITY (April 7) — Anti-narcotics agents have arrested a suspected high-value drug dealer with alleged links to a cross-regional network operating in the Bangsamoro area, following a P6.8-million shabu bust in Zamboanga City.
Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 9 entrapped Mahadil Asah Abdul, alias “Mahang,” during a controlled buy-bust operation on Sunday, April 5, along Calle Amor in Barangay Lunzuran, Zamboanga City.
Authorities said the suspect was immediately arrested after selling approximately one kilogram of suspected shabu to undercover agents.
PDEA-9 Director Bryan Babang said the operation was carried out with support from the Police Regional Office 9 under Brig. Gen. Edwin Quilates.
Network across regions
Investigators said Abdul’s arrest is linked to a wider drug distribution network spanning parts of the Bangsamoro region.
His alleged cohorts—Jonard Lopez Valdevieso, Steve Ginta Kali, and Kominie Ombol Omar—were earlier arrested in separate operations in Cotabato City.
Authorities said Abdul’s contact details were found on mobile phones seized from the three suspects, suggesting coordinated supply operations across multiple areas, including Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and even as far as Pagadian City.
All four suspects are believed to have facilitated the movement of illegal drugs between Region 9 and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), exploiting geographic and enforcement gaps between jurisdictions.
Security concerns
Police and military intelligence units have also flagged possible links between local drug trade activities and remnants of the Dawlah Islamiya, which has previously been associated with criminal activities, including drug distribution, to fund operations.
The three earlier suspects were reportedly involved not only in shabu but also in marijuana sales in Cotabato City and nearby towns.
Ongoing prosecution
Authorities confiscated the illegal drugs as evidence for charges under Republic Act No. 9165.
Abdul is currently detained at a PDEA-9 facility in Zamboanga City, while his alleged accomplices are undergoing separate judicial proceedings.
Officials said the operation underscores the importance of inter-agency coordination in dismantling drug networks that cut across administrative and security boundaries in Mindanao.
