URDANETA CITY–What covenant? Just a week after the Pangasinan Muslim Assembly signed a peace covenant with the police, seven Moro traders from Urdaneta were arrested for trafficking illegal drugs.

The seven, all from a suspected drug lair in barangay Camantiles, were arrested at their respective residences in simultaneous raids conducted by the police at 4:00 a.m. Thursday.

Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil said the raid team led by Supt. Jimili Macaraeg carried out the operation armed with search warrants issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Rolando Mislang of Dagupan City.

Informants told the police that illegal drug trading remains widespread in the area   despite repeated raids.

Arrested were Munder Kabugatan, Kalid Madalig, Banrang Abada, Kamal Kamolo, Sonny Boy Calamata and his wife Jamaela, and Umbao Batog.

All were charged with violations of the anti-drugs law and illegal possession of firearms.

The searches in the houses of the suspects led to the seizure of 21 transparent sachets of suspected metha-amphetamine hydrochloride or shabu weighing about 4.3 gram, several shabu paraphernalia, and a firearm.

Bataoil immediately directed Police Provincial Director Senior Supt. Isagani Nerez and the chief of police of Urdaneta to conduct a dialogue with the Moro population in the area and to reiterate the appeal to support the police in maintaining a drug-free community.

Nerez personally signed the peace covenant a week ago with leaders of over 28,000 Moro population in Pangasinan where the latter pledged to weed out their own ranks involved in crimes and illegal activities.

The other signatories were Dagupan City Chief of Police Supt. Edgar Basbas and Supt. Tito Dacpano, chief of the Police Community Relations Office.

Datu Allan Maasir, president of the Pangasinan Muslim Assembly, led his fellow Muslim leaders in signing the covenant.—LM

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