3 shabu dealers linked to terror group entrapped in Marawi City

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Authorities seized P170,000 worth of shabu from three operators of a drug den in Marawi City who reportedly shared earnings to the Dawlah Islamiya terror group.

Rocaya Baguan, Sailani Decampong and Aslani Decampong are now detained, to be prosecuted for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Traditional leaders in Marawi City said the suspects shared proceeds of their shabu peddling activities to the Dawlah Islamiya.

The Dawlah Islamiya is a local terror group operating in the fashion of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

Sources from intelligence units under the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade in Marawi City told reporters the suspects are related by blood to senior Dawlah Islamiya members.

Rogelito Daculla, director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said Saturday the entrapment operation that resulted in the arrest of the three suspects was based on reports by relatives and barangay leaders aware of their shabu peddling activities.

They were entrapped together in Barangay Papandayan in Marawi City on Friday morning by combined agents of the PDEA-BARMM and personnel of units under Col. Jibin Bongcayao, director of the Lanao del Sur provincial police.

They were immediately frisked and detained after selling P170,000 worth of shabu to non-uniformed PDEA-BARMM agents in a tradeoff just within the premises of their small drug den in Barangay Papandayan in Marawi City.