TWO alleged members of lawless groups were killed while a police officer was wounded in separate operations in the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur, the police said Monday, August 27, 2018.
Chief Inspector Helen Galvez, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula information officer, identified the slain suspects as Kamar Yusop, 29; and Anito Gengson Gungob alias “Cito.”
Wounded was Senior Inspector Ernesto Etorne, Jr., commander of the 901st Company, Regional Mobile Force Battalion-9.
Galvez said Yusop was killed in a shootout around 1:30 a.m. Saturday in the village of New Salvacion, Labason, Zamboanga del Norte.
She said the shootout ensued after Yusop opened fire hitting Etorne, who were was leading a group of policemen, to serve an arrest warrant against the suspect.
The information officer said the policemen returned fire hitting Yusop, who was rushed but failed to reach the hospital alive.
She said Yusop has standing warrant of arrested for the crime of arson with no recommended bail and frustrated murder with P100,000 recommended bail issued by the court of Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.
Yusop is allegedly a member of the Sumingal lawless group based in the town of Kalawit, Zamboanga del Norte, She added.
Galvez said Etorne was taken to the Labason District Hospital for treatment and was later transferred to a hospital in Dipolog City, the capital of Zamboanga del Norte province.
She said Gungob was killed on a counter-strike and stop-and-frisk operation around 4 p.m. Saturday along Rizal Avenue in the village of Madasigun, Molave, Zamboanga del Sur.
Galvez said Gungob, an alleged “contract killer” was shot to death when he pulled a handgun and about to open fire when the police established surprise checkpoint.
She said the slain suspect is believed to be responsible in some of the shooting and robbery incidents in these provinces. (SunStar Philippines)