Peace and Order

COTABATO CITY --- The Bangsamoro regional police has deployed 300 more personnel in the city for law enforcement operations. 

Brig. Gen. Samuel Rodriguez, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, said Monday he personally turned over the group to the city’s local government unit last Friday. 

The Cotabato City police office shall utilize the 300 policemen and policewomen for pandemic checkpoint, security patrol, traffic control and other law-enforcement functions, according to Rodriguez.

GEN. SANTOS CITY – Brig. Gen. Michael John Dubria, police regional direcotr for the Soccsksargen region graced and acted as the guest of honor and speaker during the opening ceremony of Special Weapon And Tactics (SWAT) training held at PRO 12 Granstand on October 20, 2020.

A 45-day rigorous training composed of seven teams with 70 participants coming from different Provincial and City Office and Regional Mobile Force Battalion of Police Regional Office 12.

COTABATO CITY---- A policeman was killed in a brief shootout with a murder suspect he and companions were to serve an arrest warrant in Akaran, North Cotabato on Thursday morning.

Master Sergeant Rofel Manuel of the Arakan municipal police died from multiple gunshot wounds.

The encounter also resulted in the death of Arnold Maligatong, who is facing a murder case in a local court.

COTABATO CITY --- Anti-narcotics agents confiscated P136,000 worth of shabu from a trafficker arrested in Buluan, Maguindanao Friday. 

Juvenal Azurin, director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the suspect, Jaher Guiapal, is now in their custody, to be prosecuted for violation of Republic Act 9165, or Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. 

Azurin said Guiapal was arrested early Friday after selling 20 grams of shabu, or methamphetamine hydrochloride, to non-uniformed PDEA-BARMM agents. 

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – A drug peddler was killed in a shootout with the government forces during a drug buy-bust operation in Barangay Magsaysay, Polomolok, South Cotabato over the weekend.

The slain suspect was identified as Jabar Almanon.

Combined government operatives of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 12, elements of Polomolok Municipal Police together with 5th Special Forces Battalion engaged in an encounter with a drug suspect during a drug buy-bust operation. The suspect sensed that the person he was dealing with illegal drugs was a police undercover.

COTABATO CITY  – The suspects in the murder of a nurse and her brother in Pikit, North Cotabato are now in the custody of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and will be turned over to local police.

Captain Mautin Pangandingan, Pikit town police chief, said the three suspects, identified as Sardin Mudali, 29, Aladin Ali Bayah, 30 and Gapor Balabagan Datungan, 27, are now in the custody of Commander Hadji Bayam of 108^th MILF base command.

The voluntarily surrendered to the MILF leader after the latter ordered a manhunt against them.

DIPOLOG CITY – Government troops rescued on Wednesday the kidnapped 64-year-old Filipino-American after a gun battle with armed men believed to be members of the Abu Sayyaf Group in the hinterlands of Sirawai town.

Fil-Am Rex Triplitt (not Triplet as earlier reported) was abducted by four armed men clad in fatigue uniforms while on his way home from a remote barangay last September 16. His wife, Celsa Maani, was able to escape during the commotion and reported the incident to authorities.

PIKIT, North Cotabato - Police have launched manhunt against a lone gunman who allegedly shot dead a man and his sister in the boundary of Barangays Gli-gli and Poblacion in Pikit Saturday.

Police Captain Mautin Pangandigan, Pikit town police chief, identified the victims as Haizon Lauban Wahab, 35 years old and his sister Bai Puti Lauban-Sinsuat, both from Poblacion Dalican, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

Initial investigation showed, according to Pangandigan, that a lone gunman was believed to have carried the crime by shooting both in the head using cal. 45 pistol.

MAGUINDANAO --- The chief of the Philippine National Police installed Monday a new director for the Bangsamoro region in a ceremony made markedly peculiar by COVID-19 containment protocols.

Brig. Gen. Samuel Rodriguez took over the command of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region from Major Gen. Manuel Abu in a rite held at Camp SK Pendatun in Parang town, presided over by their superior, Police Director Camilo Coscolan.

COTABATO CITY --- Six men were killed in separate clashes Thursday involving rival guerilla groups in Pagalungan, Maguindanao and in Maitum, Sarangani.

The hostilities in Barangay Kalbugan in Pagalungan, Maguindanao forced a number of poor ethnic Maguindanaon families to relocate to safer areas.

Local officials and the municipal police reported Friday that four were killed in the gunfight between the Impos and the Magao clans in Barangay Kalbugan.