Anti-drug raid vs. Midsayap village official left 1 dead, 3 arrested

MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato – One was killed while three others were arrested during special police anti-illegal raid here on Friday dawn but the main target of operation, a village official, escaped, police said.Supt. Maximo Sebastian, PNP-12 special anti-illegal unit, identified the slain illegal drug suspect as Areen Kulilong who traded shots with law enforcers. He died in a hospital in Midsayap. Those arrested were not identified in the report.Seized from the arrested suspects were shabu with an estimated street value of P60,000, one 9mm pistol, Uzi sub-machinegun and cal. 45 pistol with ammunition.According to Sebastian, his team, armed with 30 search and arrest warrants, was implementing Oplan Double Barrel” against Peng Kulilong, chairperson of Barangay Tugal, Midsayap, North Cotabato. He is a leader of a big time illegal drug ring operating in North Cotabato,” Sebastian said. His group is well organized and well-armed.”As the police team, were approaching the village of Tugal at 4 a.m. they were met by bullets from a small armed group led by Areen Kulilong. His group served as sentry security forces few meters away from the chairperson’s home.While members of PNP-12, police Special Action Force and North Cotabato police personnel were trading shots, Chairperson Kulilong and his men managed to escape toward the marshland.Sebastian said Kulilong is one of the big time supplier of prohibited substance in North Cotabato and Maguindanao.Last week, eight suspected illegal drug personalities, some of whom have surrendered to police a day earlier, were killed during anti-illegal drug operation in Matalam, North Cotabato.