LAWMEN have recovered high-powered firearms following a shootout that saw the death of a notorious drug personality in a remote village in Tawi-Tawi, officials announced Saturday, January 30, 2021.
Lieutenant General Corleto Vinluan, Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command, identified the slain suspect as Winnie Basanon, 40, who died in a shootout at dawn Saturday in Bintawlan, an island village in South Ubian, Tawi-Tawi.
“Sensing the presence of the government forces, the target personality opened fire, which forced our troops to retaliate,” Vinluan said.
Troops recovered one M-16 Armalite rifle, one M-14 rifle, one caliber .45 pistol, illegal drugs, and assorted paraphernalia from the suspect’s hideout.
Brigadier General Arturo Rojas, 2nd Marine Brigade commander, commended the Marine Battalion Landing Team-6 MBLT-6 for the successful operation.
“This is attributable to the strengthened collaboration among the intelligence, military, and other law enforcement agencies. This is a testament that superb collaboration and cooperation results in high performance of the government’s security forces,” Rojas said.
The anti-illegal drug operation was jointly launched by the MBLT-6 troops and PDEA operatives. (SunStar Zamboanga)