Troops from the 1102nd Infantry Brigade (1102Bde), along with operatives from partner law enforcement agencies, arrested a high-value drug personality and confiscated firearms and other war materiel during a law enforcement operation in Sulu on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
Captain Kesly Maligro, 1102Bde operations officer, identified the arrested suspect as alias Dam, 36, who was allegedly involved in illegal drug activities in the town of Luuk, Sulu. The arrest took place at around 7 a.m. in Sitio Kabbun Biyabas, Lianutan village, Luuk, Sulu, through a buy-bust operation.
Seized Items and Evidence
Authorities recovered from the suspect 50 grams of shabu valued at P340,000, a caliber .30 M1 Garand rifle with ammunition, two caliber .45 pistols, one hand grenade, and a tactical vest with magazines and ammunition. Additionally, communication equipment, cellular phones, buy-bust money, identification cards, and a motorcycle believed to have been used in the suspect's illegal activities were confiscated.
“Our troops also confiscated communication equipment, cellular phones, buy-bust money, identification cards, and a motorcycle believed to have been used in the suspect's illegal activities,” Maligro said in a statement.
Documentation and Filing of Charges
All recovered firearms, explosives, illegal drugs, and other pieces of evidence were properly documented and turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Sulu and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-9 for filing of appropriate charges and further investigation.
Brigadier General Alaric Avelino Delos Santos, 1102Bde commander, lauded the participating units for the successful operation and reiterated the brigade's commitment to supporting law enforcement agencies in the campaign against illegal drugs, loose firearms, and other threats to peace and security.
Interagency Cooperation
The law enforcement operation was carried out by troops from the 21st and 101st Infantry Battalions of the 1102Bde, PDEA-Sulu, various police units including the CIDG, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, the Naval Intelligence and Security Unit 61, and other security partners.
“This successful Law Enforcement Support Operation (Leso) is a testament to the power of interagency cooperation and our collective resolve to uphold the rule of law in Sulu,” Delos Santos said in a statement. “Through sustained Leso efforts, we will continue to assist our law enforcement partners in dismantling criminal networks, removing illegal firearms from our communities, and ensuring that those who threaten peace and security are held accountable.”
Delos Santos added that the brigade remains steadfast in its support to law enforcement agencies through intelligence-driven and community-supported operations aimed at sustaining peace, strengthening public safety, and protecting the gains of development across the second district of Sulu.
