Murder suspect, cohort killed in armed encounter in Zamboanga Sibugay

MANILA, Philippines — A murder suspect allegedly linked to terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group and another armed suspect was killed in an encounter with police commandos in Zamboanga Sibugay on Saturday.

The Philippine National Police said on Sunday that a team of police commandos was serving an arrest warrant when the suspects engaged the arresting officers in an armed encounter.

Police identified the slain suspects as Jomar Aukasa and a certain Buchoy, the identity of whom remains unknown to the police.

Police Brig. Gen. Bernabe Balba, Acting Director of the PNP Special Action Force, said Aukasa is subject of four warrants of arrest for murder and another arrest for robbery.

He is listed in police records as fifth Most Wanted Person in the Zamboanga peninsula region with links to the Abu Sayyaf Group as facilitator and financier of kidnap for ransom activities.

Elements from the PNP’s 5th Special Action Battalion and operatives from the Zamboanga Sibugay Police and Regional Mobile Force Battalion attempted to serve the warrants of arrest for Aukasa at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday in Brgy. Sisay, Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Troops recovered from the slain suspects a Belgian-made Fabrique National (FN) rifle, a Glock17 pistol, and assorted ammunition.

Balba said the recovered Glock17 pistol was PNP property issued to PO1 Mohammad Nur Alamia of Tungawan Municipal Police Station that was grabbed by Aukasa when he escaped from police custody sometime in 2018, and was the same gun used in shooting PO3 Rommel Dela Cruz as the suspect fled.

Dela Cruz survived the attack.

Tungawan Municipal Police Station is conducting further investigation into the incident, PNP said.

JE