‘Marimar,’ eight others charged for drug pushing

By LITO RULONA,
Correspondent

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA 10) has filed criminal charges against former-Municipal Mayor Johaira Abinal Macabuat of Maguing, Lanao del Sur and eight others before the City Prosecutor’s Office, here yesterday.

Also charged for violation of section 11 and section 12 of Republic Act  9165, were Army Major Suharto Tambidan Macabuat assigned at Headquarters and Headquarters Support Group of the Philippine Army (HHSG-PA) in Fort Bonifacio and nephew Sonny Santican.

They will also be charged for violation of firearms and ammunition possession.

Charged with other violations of anti-drug law were household members Kate Abinal, Noraisa Sarip, Mark Gerald Sindac, Moamar Taher, Manot Dutoan and Hazem Tambidan. They were found inside the compound when PDEA and Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) operatives.

Presented before the prosecutor’s office were an estimated of more than 200 grams of shabu with a street value of more than P2 million, several drug paraphernalia including a weighing scale and two .45 caliber Remington pistol and a 9mm Glock from Major Macabuat and Santican.

Newly-installed PDEA Region 10 Director Adrian G. Alvarino said Abinal could be the “Mayora or Marimar” named earlier by President Duterte as one of the biggest drug dealers in Mindanao.

He said the former mayor is the alleged leader of the Abinal Group, which allegedly supplies illegal drugs in Regions 10, 11, 12, Caraga, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and even in Metro Manila.

“Si Marimar is more than 15 years na siya gadula. Sa ilang lugar siya ang success story on illegal drug trade. Daghan kapamilya og distant relative ang mi-awat sa iyang negosyo. Siya ang nag-umpisa doon and has direct contact (with) Chinese drug lords based in Metro Manila. Siya ang leader karon sa Abinal Drug Group,” Alvarino  added.

Alvarino said they had already the names of those persons linked with Marimar including their operations and vehicle used in their operations.

“This organized crime syndicate has their own protector in the government nga maoy atong ginatutukan.”

Meanwhile, Army Colonel Ben Hao, spokesperson of the AFP has already coordinated with the PDEA 10 and Cocpo to conduct its owned investigation against the 40-year old Maj. Macabuat.

“If there is evidence that will show Macabuat is indeed linked with illegal drug operation, he will be referred to either the military court martial or the Army’s Efficiency and Separation Board (ESB),” Hao said.

Macabuat is married to Haj. Johairah Bagumbung Macabuat, according to the records at the Philippine Army.