COTABATO CITY: Anti-narcotics agents arrested Friday night a police officer and his female accomplice during a PHP4 million ‘shabu’ drug sting operation in front of a food chain here.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) identified the arrested suspects as Staff Sgt. Mujeeb Bitayo Sepi of the Sultan Kudarat Municipal Police Station in Maguindanao del Norte, and his companion, Farida Alim Alfonso.
‘The suspects agreed to sell the prohibited stuff to an undercover PDEA agent at 7 p.m. along Quezon Avenue in this city,’ Gil Cesario P. Castro, PDEA-BARMM director, said in a statement Saturday.
Joint PDEA agents, city police operatives, and 5th Marine Battalion Landing Team troopers arrested the duo after the handover of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP4 million, packed in 12 huge plastic sachets.
The arresting team also seized a pistol and mobile phones from the suspects.
Detained at the PDEA custodial facility, the su
spects were awaiting the filing of formal charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Friday’s drug bust was the second huge operation on prohibited drugs by PDEA-BARMM since Dec. 29 when agents seized 500 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP3.4 million from a big-time drug peddler in Panamao, Sulu.
PDEA identified the suspect as Reximar Muhammad, 30, of Patikul, Sulu.
Source: Philippines News Agency
Thai Binh: The spouses of the Vietnamese and Lao Prime Ministers, Le Thi Bich Tran and Vandara Siphandone, visited and gave gifts to children with difficult circumstances at SOS Children’s Village Thai Binh in the northern province of Thai Binh on January 6 afternoon, within the framework of the official visit to Vietnam by Lao PM Sonexay Siphandone from January 6-7.
According to Director of SOS Children’s Village Thai Binh Nguyen Van Tan, established in 2013, the village provides disadvantaged children with family-based care with favourable conditions for their full development. From December 22, 2013 to December 2023, the facility nursed and provided support for 218 children. Currently, it is taking care of 136 kids.
On the same day, the two ladies visited a tussore silk weaving village in Nam Cao commune, Kien Xuong district. In Nam Cao commune, they visited an over-100-year-old house with the typical style in the North and a weaving cooperative, watched artisans’ silk spinning performance, and listened
to Cheo (classical opera) singing while enjoying green tea and ‘cay’ cake – a specialty of the province. They also experienced silk spinning with local artisans.
The weaving profession in the commune is more than 400 years old and has been listed as national intangible cultural heritage. Currently, about 200 households in the village are being still involved in the traditional profession. The village’s silk products are being exported to countries, including Laos, Thailand, and Europe./.
Source: Vietnam News Agency
