Cop nabbed for shabu possession in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Hiding a sachet of shabu in a folded permit to carry firearm document did not save a Sulu-based senior police officer after he was arrested in a checkpoint set up by cops in this city, an official said Wednesday.

Superintendent William Gadayan, commander of Public Safety Company, said identified the arrested policeman as Senior Police Officer 1 (SPO1 )Bensar Awaluddin, 37, of Capitol Hills, Jolo, and assigned with the Sulu Provincial police.

Gadayan said his forces were conducting a spot checkpoint, to ensure security in the countryside on the eve of the State of the National Address (SONA) of President Benigno Aquino III, when the suspect in civilian clothes passed by the checkpoint at past midnight Sunday at Barangay Guiwan.

He said Awaluddin, who was carrying a sling bag, identified himself as a policeman and presented his government-issued firearm.

However, when the securing police personnel requested for his identification card, Awaluddin acted arrogantly prompting the security forces to seize his firearm, a 9mm pistol with two magazines loaded with 25 live ammunitions and directed him to produce pertinent papers.

The suspect obliged and gave his wallet to the policemen. During inspection, a small plastic sachet of suspected shabu and a rolled aluminum foil were found inside the folded copy of his permit to carry firearm.

Gadayan said the police officer was immediately brought to the city police office for questioning and filing of appropriate charges.