Cotabato City — A barangay councilor in Tawi-Tawi landed in police custody after being arrested in a buy-bust operation led by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Wednesday afternoon, September 24, 2025.
The suspect, identified as alias Wads, 43, married, and an incumbent barangay councilor of Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi, was tagged in the Regional Target List of illegal drug personalities. He was apprehended at around 4:00 p.m. in Barangay Tangngah, Tandubas, after allegedly selling a sachet of suspected shabu to an undercover agent.
The joint operation was conducted by PDEA Tawi-Tawi Provincial Office in coordination with the Tandubas Municipal Police Station, the 3rd Maneuver Force Platoon of the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company Tawi-Tawi PPO, and the Provincial Intelligence Team–Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU-9).
Authorities seized a total of approximately 20 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of ₱136,000, packed in four sachets. Also confiscated were drug paraphernalia, two Android phones, identification cards, wallets, a coin purse, and marked buy-bust money.
The arrested barangay official will face charges for violation of Sections 5, 11, and 12 of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Section 5 alone carries the penalty of life imprisonment.
PDEA said the arrest highlights ongoing efforts to curb illegal drug activities in the province, especially those involving public officials.