PNP launches manhunt for 2 suspects in Zamboanga

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Sunday it launched regionwide manhunt operations for two suspects in a shooting incident that killed a town vice mayor and an engineer and wounded two others in Zamboanga Sibugay.

Police chief PNP General Debold M. Sinas said police units in the Zamboanga peninsula are conducting dragnet operations against one Er-er Mangoda and one Jomar Taiting, both allegedly members of the Anwar Ansang criminal group, who are engaged in gunfor-hire, piracy and illegal drugs activities in the region.

Both suspects are tagged by witnesses as responsible for the shooting to death of Vice Mayor Restituto B. Calonge of Mabuhay, Zamboanga Sibugay and Engineer Edgar Pampanga in the town plaza at around 3 p.m. last Friday.

Wounded in the attack were municipal employee Hadji Abduhari Gapor and retired policeman Gregorio Baya Cenas.

Meanwhile, the PNP said the increased visibility and heightened operations of the Caraga police resulted in the seizure of 116 loose firearms and arrest of 102 persons.

Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr., reported to Sinas that a regionwide police operation launched last Friday resulted in the confiscation of 116 unregistered firearms and 30 hand grenades and homemade bombs.

Also, a total of 129 wanted persons were arrested including two “Most Wanted Person” (MWP) listed in the regional level and identified as Rolly Samonte and Rey Makiling Llido alias Baleleng.

Samonte was among the suspects in the ambush of soldiers from the 30th Infantry Battallion on October 17, 2020 at Sitio Puhagan, Barangay Mahanub, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte. The ambush wounded one soldier.

“The seizure of loose firearms and arrest of these criminals and their supporters will surely diminish the criminal capabilities of lawless elements,” Sinas said.