Terror group member killed in anti-drug operation in SoCo

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- An alleged member of a local terror group was killed in a police anti-drug operation in the South Cotabato town of Polomolok at past midnight Wednesday.

Polomolok municipal police station chief, Chief Insp. Alex Joe Orcajada, identified the slain suspect as Mudz Nilong, alias “Muds Solaiman", 25, a resident of Barangay Koronadal Proper.

Nilong, who was also tagged in the murder of a police officer last year, was gunned down by joint operatives after resisting arrest during a buy-bust operation at about 12:50 a.m. in Purok 6 of Barangay Lumakil, Polomolok town, South Cotabato.

Orcajada said the suspect sold a sachet of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu” worth PHP500 to a police officer who posed as a buyer.

After the transaction was completed, he said the suspect noticed the presence of other police operatives and immediately drew his handgun.

“He fired first at the operating team so they were forced to fight back and fatally hit him in the process,” he said.

Recovered from the suspect were six plastic sachets containing suspected shabu, a Caliber .38 pistol and the PHP500 marked money, he said.

The police official said Nilong was considered a high-value target and was included on the town’s drug watch list. Prior to the entrapment, he said they subjected the suspect to a series of intelligence and surveillance operations.

Citing intelligence reports, Orcajada said Nilong was a long-time member of the terror group Ansar Al-Khilafah Philippines (AKP), which is based in Sarangani province.

The AKP is a known ally of the Maute Group and had pledged support to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria or ISIS.

Orcajada said Nilong was also tagged as a suspect in the killing of Police Officer 2 Charlie Liva along the national highway in Tupi, South Cotabato on Oct. 26, 2017.

Liva, who was assigned at the Surallah municipal police station, was gunned down at the boundary of barangays Polonuling and Palkan while en route to this city aboard his motorcycle.

The slain police officer was then on his way to the Police Regional Office 12 (Soccsksargen) headquarters in Barangay Tambler to submit the required documents for his promotion. (PNA)