Palawan village chief dies after resisting arrest

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – The barangay (village) chief of Mangsee Island in Palawan was killed as he allegedly tried to resist arrest before dawn Friday.

According to the Palawan provincial police office, Pistoh Hamja was shot when he tried to grab the gun of one of the policemen who came to his village at 3 a.m. to serve him a warrant of arrest for illegal drugs.

Senior Supt. Gabriel Lopez, Palawan police chief, said three of Hamja’s associates in his alleged illegal drugs operation were arrested. They were identified as Ested Alsanol Ladjabungso Jamil, Amerto Bismani Bismani, and Taypong Albab Makaniral, all residents of Mangsee Island.

Lopez said the arrest warrant for the arrest of Hamja and the other suspects were issued by the Palawan Regional Trial Court Branch 165.

Recovered from the suspects were three sachets of suspected shabu or crystal meth, police said. /muf