Anti-drug operation in Basilan leaves 1 dead; 8 others arrested

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Anti-drug agents and policemen backed by soldiers killed one drug suspect and arrested eight others during a buy-bust operation in Basilan on Friday.

Major Filemon Tan Jr., spokesperson of the military’s Western Mindanao Command, identified the slain suspect as Abubakar Mohammad alias Abubakar Adali Asa.

He did not identify the arrested suspects.

Tan said agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, elements of the Maluso town police, and members of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-11 (MBLT-11) and the 4th Special Forces Battalion (4SFBn) swooped down on a house in Sitio Canas in Barangay Calangcanas at dawn Friday to arrest Mohammad.

However, they were met with gunfire, he said.

During the clash, Tan said Mohammad was killed and the eight other suspects were arrested.

He said seized during the raid included suspected shabu weighing 50 grams, drug paraphernalia, unspecified amount of cash, and high-powered firearms such as two M-16 rifles, an M203 grenade launcher, a caliber .22 pistol, a rifle grenade and several rounds of ammunition.

All the arrested suspects and the pieces of evidence seized during the raid are now under custody of the Maluso police, he said.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines continues to assist law enforcement agencies to deter illegal activities in the province,” Tan said.