Suspected gunrunner wounded in Cotabato buy-bust

COTABATO CITY — An alleged gunrunner was wounded in a shootout with police operatives during a buy-bust operation in Kabacan, North Cotabato on Tuesday.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), backed by personnel of the Kabacan Municipal Police Station, conducted the operation along the national highway in Barangay Kayaga at around 8:45 a.m. 

Lt. Col. April Lou Palma, Kabacan police chief, said the operation targeted two men allegedly engaged in the illegal sale of firearms.

READ: Cops probe student in Cotabato after gun found in her motorcycle

The suspects earlier agreed to hand over a rifle along the national highway in Datu Montawal, Maguindanao del Sur, but later decided to move the meet-up area to Barangay Kayaga in Kabacan.

The suspects were to hand over the rifle and take the cash from a police undercover agent when one of them noticed they were dealing with law enforcers. 

One of them, identified as 25-year-old alias “Datu,” a farmer and resident of Barangay Magatos, Kabacan,  fired shots at the law enforcers, who retaliated in self-defense, wounding the suspect.

He was immediately taken to the nearest hospital for treatment.

Another suspect, identified as alias “Alle,” also a farmer and resident of Barangay Kayaga, voluntarily surrendered to the operatives.

Recovered during the operation were an unregistered 5.56mm firearm without a serial number, a .45 caliber pistol and its ammunition, 99 pieces of boodle money, a genuine P1,000 bill used as marked money, and a green Suzuki Wagon R.

Police discovered that alias Datu had an outstanding warrant of arrest for destructive arson, multiple attempted murder, and violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

The CIDG is preparing charges against the suspects for alleged violations of Section 32 of Republic Act No. 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. 

Police said the arrested suspect is now in the detention facility of Kabacan MPS while the wounded suspect remained in the hospital under police close watch. INQ