Duterte told a jampacked session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) Tuesday afternoon that Mayor Abu is one of two main sources of metamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, transported from Cotabato City to Davao City passing through Kabacan in North Cotabato and Digos City. The other source is one “Dong Sinsuat” from Kabacan, North Cotabato, he said.
Of the 21 in Duterte’s list, seven were arrested in 2004 and two had been killed. Duterte said they could not file charges against the rest for lack of evidence.
Abu was one of the mayors from Maguindanao who challenged Duterte to identify who the latter referred to in news reports as involved in the illegal drugs trade. Duterte announced the involvement in drug trafficking of a “mayor from Maguindanao” on October 1.
Duterte said Abu had been arrested for illegal drugs trade while he was still vice mayor of Parang four to five years ago "pero pinalaglag ang kaso" (but they worked for its dismissal), Duterte said. By whom, Duterte did not say.
MindaNews could not reach Mayor Abu for comment.
Duterte said he phoned Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan about his upcoming announcement on the Maguindanao mayor. He said the governor extended his support for his anti-drug campaign.
In a Powerpoint presentation, Duterte, summoned by the City Council for updates on the drug trafficking issue in the city, presented a matrix prepared by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency from data provided by slain suspected drug dealer Luis Francisco and other intelligence reports, showing “Abu and Sinsuat” as “drug lords.”
Duterte said Abu and wife, identified as "Bai" are downlines of Manila-based drug supplier "Peter Chou.” The Maguindanao mayor, Duterte said, works with three downlines, namely “Saada Acmad Ali” alias Ada, a certain "Ron", and Francisco.
Duterte in his television program last Sunday said Francisco, when arrested, invoked Section 33 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, by providing information on the illegal drugs trade in exchange for immunity from prosecution and punishment.
He said Francisco was told not to return to Davao City. But Francisco returned to practicing his illegal trade in Davao City.
Francisco was slain on October 4 in Nova Tierra, a subdivision in Davao City.
According to the matrix presented by Duterte, Abu allegedly worked with 11 distributors who have links to a “Bing Ampatuan,” who works under a “Kagi Lao,” also of Cotabato City. Lao also works under a "John Doe" with the same level as “Peter Chou.”.
Duterte said when he talked to Governor Ampatuan, he denied being related to "Bing Ampatuan" and the “Sinsuat” mentioned in the intelligence report.
Francisco was identified to have worked with both drug groups. Duterte pointed to Francisco as the man who delivered the 3.5 kilos of shabu recently.
Down his line, the two groups shared almost the same distributors. Duterte’s presentation identified them as “Lucky Musa” from Davao City, “Napshia Dares” from Davao City, “Diana Torona” from Davao City, “Michael Lutz “or Barrquias from Davao City, “Leo Luna” from Davao City, “Edward ‘Duds’ Dujon” of Davao City, “Aronie Guilles” of Davao City and an “Alex Lim.”
According to the same presentation, Sinsuat's group included “Edris Jupli” from Davao City-Cotabato-Zamboanga City, “Edward Talib,” “Cos Udasan” from Davao City, and “Manuel Virgilio Sionco” of Cotabato City.
Reported arrested were Ali, Lutz/Barraquias, Luna, Dujon, Guilles, Jupli and Talib. Aside from Francisco, Diana Torona, from Davao City, was also reported killed last year.
Duterte cited the need for evidence so that cases could be filed against those in the list. . He floated the possibility of posting a million-peso reward money for the arrest of the suspects,
"But there should be no extrajudicial killing. They have to be caught in possession of the drugs, committing the crime," he said.
Davao City Police chief Catalino Cuy said a total of 82 suspects of drug-related cases are detained in Davao City. Nine of the 39 cases filed are already on trial and the rest are still pending.