Guns, P1.7 M worth shabu seized from 26 suspects in Lanao Sur 

COTABATO CITY --- The police arrested 26 wanted persons, seized 15 firearms, explosives and P1.7 million worth of shabu in separate operations in Lanao del Sur province Tuesday.

Police Col. Rex Derilo, Lanao del Sur provincial police director, said the 26 suspects in different crimes, including drug trafficking murder and theft, are now detained, awaiting prosecution.

Policemen shot dead on the same day in Balabagan, Lanao del Sur another wanted person for resisting arrest.

In a report Wednesday to Police Brig. Gen. Eden Ugale, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, Derilo said the suspects, now all detained, have pending cases in different courts.

Tuesday’s simultaneous police operations in Lanao del Sur were launched as part of PRO-BAR’s Simultaneous Anti-Criminality Law Enforcement Operations program meant to clamp down persons facing cases in courts, drug traffickers, extortionists and owners of unlicensed firearms.

Units of the provincial police and personnel of the municipal police stations in Lanao del Sur involved in the raids have confiscated five M16 rifles, a .30 caliber Garand rifle, an M1 Carbine rifle, a 9 millimeter Uzi machine pistol, five .45 caliber pistols and a .38 caliber revolver from the 26 suspects.

Police operatives also seized from them six rifle grenades, two 40 millimeter grenade projectiles and P1.7 million worth of shabu, weighing almost half a kilo.

In a statement Wednesday, Ugale said he is thankful to Gov. Mamintal Adiong, Jr., chairperson of the Lanao del Sur provincial peace and order council, for supporting the separate police operations that resulted in the arrest of the 26 wanted persons.

Ugale said credit for the feat also has to go to the municipal executives who helped locate the suspects, now locked in a detention facility of the Lanao del Sur provincial police.