THE brother of a village official died and a cohort died in a shootout with operatives of the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) in Barangay Maghaway, Talisay City around 2 p.m. yesterday.
Supt. Germano Mallari, the PIB chief, identified the casualties as Julian Bonghanoy Jr. and Joeser Abacahan, the younger brother of Maghaway Councilor Felix Abacahan Jr.
The Abacahans were the targets of the operation for their alleged ownership of unlicensed firearms.
The police tagged them as alleged hitmen of suspected drug lord Franz Sabalones and they were also engaged in peddling illegal drugs.
As of 2 p.m. yesterday, the police killed 117 suspected drug personalities, while 134 were gunned down by unknown assassins.
Councilor Abacahan, who escaped arrest, was believed to be wounded. The incident happened near the Talisay City Jail.
Surrender
Last Aug. 13, the official and four of his men who were drug peddlers in Maghaway surrendered to the Talisay City Police Station. The councilman surrendered a .38 revolver.
Supt. Aileen Recla, the city police chief, said Councilor Abacahan admitted he was Sabalones’s bodyguard.
In 2009, Councilor Abacahan was a tanod when he got involved in a five-minute shootout during the fiesta in Maghaway.
He survived the incident.
Barangay Councilor Pedro Delvo, 51; Alex “Nonoy” Murallos, Delvo’s son-in-law; Jonifer Villacencio, 24 and Melchor Tabay, 19, were killed outside the barangay hall.
At 5:45 a.m. yesterday, the operatives led by Senior Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos killed suspected drug pusher Ronie “Opaw” Batican in Barangay Maslog, Danao City.
The police recovered a .38 revolver with three bullets and two empty shells in its chamber and two packs of shabu from Batican.
Seized
In the Maghaway shootout, Mallari said his personnel seized several high-powered firearms including an M16 automatic rifle with attached M203 grenade launcher, three magnum rifles, two .45 pistols, two shotguns and bullets.
The police official, in a phone interview, said they received reports that the Abacahans were allegedly involved in gun-for-hire activities.
The intelligence unit of Cebu Provincial Police Office said they were also tipped about the suspects’ involvement in illegal drug trade, but this still needs validation.
Mallari said that before the operation, which was authorized by a court-issued search warrant, they received complaints from the residents against Councilor Abacahan.
“Mag-checkpoint ni og iyaha, pamarahon ang mga motor (He does his own checkpoints, they’d stop motorcycles),” he said.
Councilor Abacahan was reportedly involved in a recent shooting incident in Talisay City, added Mallari.