Ex-Sulu village chair in P20-M drug sting

General Santos City — A former village chair of Barangay Tulay, Jolo, Sulu was successfully apprehended by elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) in a buy-bust operation.

PDEA-BARMM, in its accomplishment report, identified the suspect as Sherwin Hapasain Talib also known as Sherwin, former barangay captain of Tulay, Jolo, Sulu. Another suspect was also collared identified as one Sali Salim Tating alias Kael, 58 years old.

PDEA-BARMM collected from the suspects alleged illegal drugs known as shabu with a market price of P20.4 million. Both suspects are in the custody of the Jolo Municipal Police Station pending inquest proceedings for violation of the Comprehensive Drug Acts of 2002 or RA 9165, expected to be filed on Monday.

Meanwhile, another suspect identified as Wilnor Abdulhalim also known as Hadji escaped the said buy bust operation upon detecting the presence of government authorities.

The raiding team were forces combined from the 5th Special Action Battalion, Special Action Company, Special Action, Sulu Provincial Police Office and the National Intelligence Central Agency.

The operation against Talib is considered one of the biggest drug hauls in the province and PDEA-BARMM is expecting that there will be another huge drug bust following the successful operation.