Pubdate: Wed, 28 Apr 2004
Source: Philippine Star (Philippines)
Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2004
Contact:  http://www.philstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622
Author: Christina Mendez, The Philippine Star

PNP DEFENDS RAIDS, SAYS NO WITCH HUNT

The Philippine National Police (PNP) defended its move to intensify police 
anti-drugs operations at an Islamic community in Quezon City while 
stressing there is no witch hunt against Muslim residents in the area.

"These are legitimate operations. If there are individuals who have 
violated the law or our campaign against illegal drugs, regardless of 
religion, the law will be applied," said PNP spokesman Senior 
Superintendent Joel Goltiao.

Goltiao said the PNP's intensifed anti-criminality drive in Barangay 
Culiat, Quezon City yesterday which resulted in the arrest of 12 
individuals, who committed various violations ranging from illegal 
possession of firearms to possession of explosive materials.

Superintendent Procorpio Lipana, chief of the Criminal Investigation Unit 
of the Central Police District, said the raid was conducted by joint 
operatives from the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the 
Philippines (ISAFP), PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force, 
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Central and Western Police 
Districts and the Special Action Force.

Arrested during the raid were Dawabe Ben Albi Maulana, businessman from 
Basilan; Musa Sabaddin Abdurahman, 27; Awop Wadja Ignus, 26; Radjail 
Karawan Tirih, 34; Raquel Francisco Mabajo, 26; Pamaran Alain Awali, 48; 
Abubakar Cuevas Zunco, 34; Talib Masiba Uddin, 52; Arsad Indaman Abduhabi; 
Hasan Sambani Zunco, 42; and Rene Hussien Ladjamalik, 43.

Suspect Hasan Zunco, who was sporting a black eye, belied accusations that 
he was involved in illegal activities.

Police said Abubakar Zunco and Abdualhadi were policemen while Uddin was a 
former policeman dismissed from the service.

Lipana said the still undetermined amount of explosives were confiscated 
from Maulana, a coordinator of the Suara Bangsamoro party list group. 
Seized from the suspects were some 100 grams of shabu, a caliber 7.62M-14 
rifle, two caliber .45 pistols; four MK3 A2 fragmentation grenades; several 
kilos of explosive ingredients, and ammunition.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager