TWO high-value targets (HVTs) drug suspects were arrested after they were wounded in a shootout with lawmen in a law enforcement operation in the province of Sulu, the police said Monday, September 30, 2024.
The police identified the arrested HVTs as Wilson Sahiban and Amil Khan Abubasar, who escaped from detention after they were separately arrested in anti-drug operations in Zamboanga City.
The police said the shootout happened around 8:45 a.m. Saturday, September 28, at Sitio Ratag in Baligtang village, Pandami, Sulu.
The police said the shootout ensued as the suspects opened fire while the policemen were about to serve warrants of arrest against them.
“Upon arrival of the joint operatives at the above-mentioned address, suspects immediately fired upon the approaching operatives from their house maneuvering towards the backyard premises attempting to escape arrest,” the police said in its report.
“Operatives rendered controlled and defensive firing which resulted to the wounding of the two accused,” the police added.
The operatives rendered first aid to the wounded suspects and rushed them to the Regional Health Unit and later transfer to the hospital for treatment.
The police said recovered from the possession of the two arrested suspects were a caliber .45 pistol and Garand rifle with ammunition.
Sahiban was arrested together with three others in an anti-drug operation launched by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and police forces on May 2 in Mampang village, Zamboanga City that resulted to the confiscation of 21.4 kilos of suspected shabu worth P145.5 million.
Abubasar was arrested with a companion by joint PDEA and Naval Intelligence Security Group-Western Mindanao operatives on March 2, 2024 Camino Nuevo village, Zamboanga City which led to the confiscation of two kilos of suspected shabu worth P13.6 million.
However, Sahiban and Abubasar, along with four others escaped on May 13 from the detention facility of the PDEA in Zamboanga City. (SunStar Zamboanga)