COTABATO CITY — A routine police checkpoint established to enforce the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) gun ban resulted in the arrest of a 22-year-old tricycle driver after authorities discovered approximately 100 grams of suspected shabu worth around ₱680,000 concealed inside his sling bag on Thursday morning, July 16.
The suspect, identified as Albanie Daud Kamid, 22, was intercepted at around 8:00 a.m. during an anti-criminality checkpoint operated by personnel of Police Station 1 along Jose Lim Sr. Street, Barangay Poblacion 5, Cotabato City.
According to police, officers initially flagged down Kamid’s tricycle as part of intensified security measures on the first day of the implementation of the COMELEC gun ban ahead of the September 14 elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
What began as a routine inspection for firearms quickly turned into a major anti-drug operation when officers discovered two sachets containing suspected shabu hidden inside the suspect’s sling bag. The confiscated illegal drugs weighed approximately 100 grams and have an estimated street value of ₱680,000.
Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) spokesperson Captain Steffie Salanguit said the suspect allegedly admitted that he had been tasked to transport the illegal drugs to a contact in Malabang, Lanao del Sur, in exchange for ₱15,000.
Authorities said Kamid is a resident of Barangay Gadungan, Talitay, Maguindanao del Norte.
In a statement released Friday, Cotabato City Police Office Director Colonel Jibin Bongcayao commended the alertness of checkpoint personnel, noting that the operation highlighted the broader value of security checkpoints beyond enforcing election-related firearm restrictions.
The checkpoint was supervised by Captain Anuar Mambatao, whose team immediately arrested the suspect following the discovery of the illegal drugs. Kamid was subsequently brought to Cotabato City Police Station 1, where he is currently detained pending the filing of formal charges.
The suspect is now facing charges for violating Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Police authorities emphasized that the successful seizure demonstrates the effectiveness of intensified checkpoint operations being conducted in line with election security preparations. While the checkpoints are primarily intended to prevent the unauthorized carrying of firearms during the election period, law enforcement officials noted that they have also become an effective tool in intercepting other forms of criminal activity, including the illegal drug trade.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities seek to identify the intended recipient of the narcotics in Malabang and determine whether the suspect is linked to a larger drug trafficking network operating within the BARMM and neighboring provinces.
The seizure adds to the series of anti-illegal drug operations launched by law enforcement agencies across the region as authorities continue to strengthen security measures ahead of the upcoming BARMM parliamentary elections.