PDEA foils bid to spring alleged drug ring leader

Tweet

InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines - Six armed men were arrested by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) after a failed attempt to rescue the leader of the Alih Drug Group who was arrested on Friday, April 13, 2012, in Zamboanga City.

PDEA Director General Undersecretary Jose S. Gutierrez, Jr. identified the suspects as Wally Alama, 42, alias Waliul/Wali Uz; Lali Alama, 42; Mahamud Mahadali, 32; Salam Usni, 34; Alan Sanong, 44, alias Sanong; and  Abrahan Mohamad, 35, alias Cheng.  He said Usni, Sanong, and Mohamad sported uniforms of Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU).

“We have reason to believe that these men are ‘guns-for-hire’ apparently contracted to aid and facilitate the escape of Nadzul Alih, leader of Alih Drug Group,” Gutierrez said.  However, he added, PDEA agents saw and disarmed the six armed men at the parking lot of Zamboanga City Hall and brought them to PDEA’s Region 9 Office for investigation.

The agents also confiscated assorted long and short firearms with live ammunition and a hand grenade from the suspects.   CAFGU identification cards were recovered from Usni, Sanong and Mohammad, who were wearing the CAFGU uniform.  

On the other hand, Mahadali yielded a card identifying him as an agent of Task Force Zamboanga and the Office of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).  

Wally Alama, on the other hand, yielded one sachet of shabu.  Investigation revealed that Wally Alama is a member of the Alih Drug Group.

In a recent development, the wife of former Mayor of Maimbung, Sulu recognized and identified Wally Alama as one of the gunmen who ambushed her husband former, Mayor Najib Maldisa, on June 27, 2011 along San Roque Cemetery in Maimbung, Sulu.  Two other victims also filed complaints against Wally Alama involving separate shooting incidents.

Cases for violation of illegal possession of firearms have been filed against the six suspects, while an additional charge for possession of dangerous drugs was filed against Wally Alama.  They are detained in PDEA’s Region 9 detention facility awaiting proper disposition from court.  

Meanwhile, two composite teams from the Zamboanga Police Office, composed of seven members each, have been assigned to augment security at the PDEA detention facility on a rotating basis.

Follow @interaksyon