4 dead in N. Cotabato drug raids

KIDAPAWAN CITY – Four suspected drug dealers were killed, while four others were arrested after authorities in North Cotabato conducted simultaneous raids in their respective hideouts early Saturday, police reports said.

Slain in a raid in Purok-5, Barangay Dunnguan in M’lang town were Monaim Paglas and Mahdem Bagundang.

In a report by M’lang police, the two engaged the raiding team in a gunfight after they refused to yield when the police announced that they were going to search their residence.

In Banisilan, Bienvenido Gumban was killed after he allegedly drew his pistol just as the authorities entered his house at 5:30 a.m. Saturday.

Then in Pikit town, a suspected drug courier identified as Alis Blah was also killed after an exchange of gunfire with the police.

Arrested during the operations were Nashrudin Ganang Buisan, 21, of Barangay Lano-on in Carmen, North Cotabato; Norodin Nandang Amulan, alias Odin, 30; Kenneth Pasandalan Cudales, 29, of Poblacion in Kabacan; and Vanessa Ayunan of Pikit town.

Authorities were armed with search warrants issued by several local courts in North Cotabato when they raided the houses of at least 10 persons suspected of being involved in the illegal drug trade, according to CPPO.

The raiding team also recovered from the operations 19 sachets of white crystalline believed to be shabu, and other drug paraphernalia.

The estimated value of the recovered items has yet to be determined, reports said.

Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Soccsksargen (Region 12), together with Provincial Intelligence Bureau of the CPPO, and several police stations in North Cotabato, led the operations.

The apprehended suspects were brought to the police regional headquarters of in Tambler, General Santos City for filing of appropriate charges, while the recovered items were brought to the regional headquarters crime laboratory for proper disposition.