SEIZED. The hand grenade and the .38-caliber pistol found inside the safe house of the slain suspected drug peddlers who resisted arrest in Barangay Sinalukay, President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat on Monday afternoon (Oct. 14, 2019). Lawmen also found in the suspects’ lair a homemade Uzi submachine pistol and several sachets of shabu. (Photo courtesy of Pres. Quirino MPS)
COTABATO CITY -- Three suspected drug peddlers were killed when they resisted arrest and engaged lawmen in a shootout in President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat on Monday afternoon.
Lt. Col. Lino Capellan, speaking for the Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 (Soccsksargen), identified the fatalities as Tato Dilangalen, Alano Sepi Usop, and a relative only named as Big Boy Sepi, all of Barangay Sinakulay, President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat.
In his report to the PRO-12 office, Capt. Jessie Silva, police chief of President Quirino, said all the fatalities sustained multiple gunshot wounds and law enforcers found fragmentation grenades and pistols inside the victim’s safe house.
Capellan said police operatives were to search the victims’ safe house at past 4 p.m. when they resisted and opened fire at approaching lawmen, triggering a brief firefight.
The police, armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Milanio Guerrero of Regional Trial Court Judicial Region Branch 20 Tacurong City, were to arrest Dilangalen.
Investigators found a homemade Uzi submachine pistol, a fragmentation grenade, a .38-caliber pistol, and several sachets of shabu in the house.
Capellan said the suspects have been under surveillance for a month after street-level drug personalities in Pres. Quirino and in nearby Tacurong pointed them as their source of the illegal stuff.
Relatives claimed the victims’ remains and buried them according to Islamic rites. (PNA)
