4 drug suspects slain in shootout with lawmen

COTABATO CITY – Four drug suspects were killed after they reportedly engaged police, military, and antiillegal drugs operatives in a shootout rather than surrender in Barangay Poblacion 3 here at dawn Sunday.

Sr. Supt. Rolly Octavio, city police chief, identified the slain suspects as Ariel dela Cruz, Datukon Mamamdra, Zaldy Saptula, and Andong Guimlah.

They were killed after elements of the Fifth Special Forces Battalion, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the Army’s 603rd Brigade, and local police tried to serve 25 search warrants on the suspects at 2 a.m. Sunday.

However, the principal target of the operation, a certain Torix Mamadra, was able to elude arrest.

Octavio said Omar Butuan and a certain Barak were arrested during the operations, dubbed “One Time, Big Time.”

Recovered from the slain suspects and their apprehended cohorts were a still undetermined amount of shabu, hand grenades, and firearms that included a 9. mm and a .45-caliber pistols.

Meanwhile, a barangay councilor from Barangay Kalanganan Mother here was likewise killed in an alleged shootout with authorities.

Slain was Sadat Gampong Ayunan, who was reportedly on the PDEA watch list in this city.

In Zamboanga City, another notorious drug offender was slain as authorities tried to serve a search warrant at his residence in Barangay Dona Cecilia, Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte at dawn, Saturday.

Joint Task Force Zampelan Commander Maj. Gen. Roseller G Murillo identified the suspect as Julhadi A. Amil. Six sachets of shabu, a KG-9 submachine gun, and a .45-caliber pistol were also recovered from him.