Escaped MILF man killed in shootout with cops
DIGOS CITY, Philippines—A Moro Islamic Liberation Front leader who escaped from the Davao del Sur Provincial Rehabilitation Center in December 2012, six months after he was arrested for illegal possession of firearms and explosives, was shot and killed in what the police claim was a shootout with the authorities.
Senior Superinendent Michael John Dubria, Davao del Sur police director, said that Ghalib dela Cruz traded shots with police officers who were trying to re-arrest him in Barangay (village) Sto. Rosario in Sta. Maria, Davao Occidental, on Thursday.
Dubria exercises jurisdiction over Davao Occidental, a new province carved out of several Davao del Sur towns.
He said members of the provincial police’s intelligence section under Chief Inspector Samson Kimayong and of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group led by Chief Insp. Marvin Avelino had gone to a secluded area of Barangay Sto. Rosario upon receiving verified information that the fugitive MILF leader was hiding there.
“But efforts to recapture him peacefully proved futile. He resisted and engaged our men in a gun battle,” Dubria said.
Dubria said a .45-caliber pistol with live cartridge was recovered along with Dela Cruz’s body following the brief firefight.
Dela Cruz was arrested in June 2012 during a warrant-backed raid in Malita town, now part of Davao Occidental.
Government security forces seized a cache of assorted high-powered firearms and explosives, including a Barret 50-caliber sniper rifle, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, two RPG propellers, two RPG fillers and 13 rounds of 50 caliber bullets.
He was charged with violation of Republic Act 8294 or the illegal possession of firearms law and had been remanded to the Provincial Rehabilitation Center here.
The MILF had condemned Dela Cruz’s arrest.
Rashid Ladiasan, a member of the MILF’s ceasefire secretariat, said the raid and the arrest of MILF members, including Dela Cruz, who had not committed any crime was a violation of the truce.
He said Dela Cruz was a sub-leader of the MILF’s 105th Base Command.
On December 6, 2012, Dela Cruz escaped from jail along with eight other inmates.
Jail warden Dionesio Espinosa had since issued a shoot-to kill order against them.
RELATED STORY
AFP: Abu Sayyaf group, not MILF, target of Basilan operation
