Mayor on narco list killed in shootout

9 companions also dead in North Cotabato police operation

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines – A town mayor earlier tagged by President Duterte as being involved in illegal drug operations was killed along with nine of his men in an alleged shootout with policemen in Makilala town early yesterday.

Police said Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao town mayor Samsudin Dimaukom was killed along with his nine companions at a checkpoint along the Cotabato-Davao Highway in Barangay Old Bulatukan.

Dimaukom and his men, who were in a three-car convoy, were killed after they opened fire on the policemen manning the checkpoint.

“The operation was carried out properly. They were only to be inspected for drugs but they refused and shot the team that was to search their vehicles. It was a legitimate anti-drug operation but the subjects opened fire on our troops,” regional police spokesman Supt. Romeo Galgo Jr. said.

Dimaukom’s convoy reportedly stopped a few meters away from the police checkpoint, prompting the policemen to warily approach the vehicles and identify their occupants.

Mayor Samsudin Dimaukom of Datu Saudi Ampatuan and nine aides were killed before dawn in a gunbattle with anti-narcotics officers. AP

Police said the occupants opened fire at the approaching policemen, triggering the firefight.

The suspects were wounded during the firefight and were taken to the Makilala Specialist Hospital, but they were declared dead on arrival.

Lawmen searched the vehicles, including Dimaukom’s Toyota Land Cruiser, and recovered 13 plastic packets of shabu, a 12-guage shotgun, a .357 revolver, three .45 automatics and an M-16 rifle.

Police identified the nine others as Suad Adam Guiamad, Mubarak Ali Pasagui, Enid Fahad Dimananal, Nasrudin Alon, Elmer Ali, Aladdin Guiamad, Fajir Madi, Basir Ismael Mindug and Haimen Anuar.

Suad and Nasrudin were protection agents working for a private security agency Dimaukom reportedly contracted as bodyguards.

Galgo said the nine slain suspects were all residents of Datu Saudi Ampatuan.

“Personnel of the Datu Saudi local government unit helped investigators identify them,” Galgo said.

Ahead of the deadly firefight, Galgo said the regional police received information that Dimaukom’s group was planning to transport a huge amount of shabu from Davao City to Datu Saudi Ampatuan in Maguindanao.

“The law enforcers acting on a tip of a confidential agent that the group of Mayor Dimaukom will transport shabu from Davao to Maguindanao and Cotabato set up a checkpoint along the highway in Makilala,” Galgo said.

Galgo said the regional police are still finalizing their report on the incident.

Dimaukom, popularly known as ‘Pink Boy’ for having painted pink public buildings and mosques in the town, had been tagged by President Duterte as being involved in illegal drug operations. AP

Dimaukom, who was on his second term as mayor of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, had been publicly named by Duterte as among many politicians he accused of involvement in illegal drugs.

In August, Duterte read out the names of more than 150 officials allegedly linked to illegal drugs. He ordered them to surrender to authorities immediately or be hunted down. Dimaukom, popularly known as the “Pink Boy” for having painted pink all public buildings and mosques in the town, had turned himself in but denied he was involved in the illegal drug trade.

He had told the media that he was fighting illegal drugs himself and supported Duterte’s crackdown.

The regional police had earlier searched Dimaukom’s house for illegal drugs but found none.

Police estimate more than 3,600 suspected drug dealers and addicts have been killed since Duterte took office on June 30. The crackdown has drawn international concern over extrajudicial killings, but Duterte has repeatedly dismissed criticism and vowed to keep his election promise to rid the country of drugs. – With Jaime Laude, AP