Murder suspect killed, 2 cohorts arrested in Lumbatan police operation
Mindanao Armed Conflict • 14:45 PM Mon Apr 6, 2020
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By:
John M. Unson
The two suspects are now in the custody of the Lanao del Sur provincial police. (Contributed)
COTABATO CITY --- A police team shot dead a murder suspect and arrested two accomplices in Lumbatan town in Lanao del Sur before dawn Monday.
Policemen, backed by members of the Army’s 55th Infantry Battalion, were to arrest Abubacar Omar, who is incumbent barangay chairman of Bubong-a-Macadaar in Lumbatan, and his relatives, Kamal Dita and Basit Minalang, all wanted for murder.
Col. Madzgani Mukaram, director of the Lanao del Sur provincial police, said the team that raided their hideout in Barangay Bubong-a-Macadaar was armed with an arrest warrant issued by Judge Rasad Balindong of the Regional Trial Court Branch 12 Lanao del Sur.
Mukaram said the police personnel who carried out the raid were forced to neutralize Minalang when he pulled out an assault rifle and opened fire.
Omar and Dita immediately turned themselves in after Minalang got killed when the raiding team returned fire.
Investigators seized from the suspects two M16 assault rifles and an M203 rifle fitted with a 40 millimeter grenade launcher.
They also confiscated from Omar and Dita grenade projectiles and a fragmentation grenade.
Mukaram said Omar and Dita are now in the custody of the Lanao de Sur provincial police.