2 drug suspects dead in Pikit PDEA operation

Anti-narcotics agents killed in a shootout Thursday two men for refusing to have their house in Pikit town searched for shabu and firearms.

Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement-12 found P1.3 million worth of shabu in the house of the slain suspects, Ronnie and Banji, both surnamed Mangansakan.

Naravy Duquiatan, director of PDEA-12 said the suspects died from gunshot wounds sustained in the gunfight with agents tasked to search their hideout in Barangay Macasandeg in Pikit, North Cotabato.

Duquiatan said their agents were forced to neutralize the duo when they pulled out assault rifles and opened fire at the law enforcement team approaching their residence in Barangay Macasandeg in Pikit, North Cotabato.

The operation was assisted by combined personnel of the North Cotabato Provincial Police, the Army’s 34^th and 90^th Infantry Battalions and the 602^nd Brigade.

Duquiatan said the team dispatched to search the house of the Mangansakans was armed with a warrant from a court.

PDEA-12 and police operatives involved in the operation recovered beside the cadavers of the Mangansakans an M14 rifle, an M16 rifle and an M203 rifle fitted with a 40 millimeter grenade launcher.

The slain Mangansakans were among the top 20 high-value targets of PDEA-12 in the first district of North Cotabato province, according to Duquiatan.  (John Felix Unson)