CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—President Duterte’s bloody campaign against drugs suffered one of its worst setbacks after a court dismissed drug and gun charges against a woman tagged as one of Mindanao’s biggest drug lords because of what the court said was planted evidence. The head of the Central Mindanao office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) condemned the dismissal of the cases against Johaira Macabuat, alias Marimar, who had been described by the PDEA as one of the country’s biggest drug suppliers operating in Mindanao. According to the PDEA, Macabuat allegedly led a group that supplied drugs to the regions of Central Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen, Caraga, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Metro Manila. Villanueva said the judge’s decision has put the regional PDEA offices’ reputation on the line. Regional Prosecutor Merlyn Uy said Acebido’s decision served as a “wake-up call for PDEA” to follow protocol in serving warrants.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 27, 2018 21:15 UTC