ZAMBOANGA CITY — Authorities arrested two suspected drug personalities and seized about ₱3.4 million worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation conducted by operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) outside a hotel in Barangay Canelar on March 14, 2026.
The operation was led by the PDEA Sulu Provincial Office, in coordination with several units of PDEA and the PNP, as part of the government’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs in Western Mindanao.
Arrested during the operation were two individuals identified only by their aliases “Ben,” a resident of Pagadian City, and “Arnold,” a resident of Zamboanga City.
According to authorities, the suspects were caught in the act of selling illegal drugs to an undercover operative during the entrapment operation conducted outside a hotel in the area.
Confiscated from the suspects was a resealable plastic bag containing approximately 500 grams of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, with an estimated standard drug price value of ₱3,400,000.
Operatives also recovered the buy-bust money, an Android mobile phone, a Honda Civic vehicle, and other pieces of evidence not related to illegal drugs but believed to be relevant to the ongoing investigation.
To ensure transparency and the integrity of the seized evidence, the inventory and documentation were conducted in the presence of a barangay official and a representative from the media, in accordance with the procedures mandated under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
Authorities said the suspects will face charges for violation of Section 5, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, which penalizes the sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution, and transportation of illegal drugs.
The offense carries a penalty of life imprisonment and a fine ranging from ₱500,000 to ₱10 million.
Meanwhile, PDEA Director III Bryan B. Babang reaffirmed the agency’s strong commitment to supporting the government’s continuing crackdown on illegal drugs.
Babang emphasized that joint operations between law enforcement agencies remain crucial in dismantling drug networks and preventing the proliferation of illegal substances in communities.
He also called on the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with authorities by reporting suspicious drug-related activities in their areas, stressing that community participation plays a key role in the success of the anti-drug campaign.