3 drug couriers killed in Zambo shootout

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Three suspected Ozamiz City-based drug couriers were killed in shootout after they were intercepted slipping shabu Friday afternoon in Liloy town, Zamboanga del Norte, according to police official.

Another suspect was also killed in the shootout Saturday morning in a coastal village of Zamboanga City.

The number of drug suspects killed climbed to 15 in July only.

Chief Superintendent Billy Beltran, director of Police Regional Police Office 9 (PRO), identified the killed suspects as Anwar Silan Sawadjaan, 19; Atilona Hofer, 20; and Noel Rey Bacalso, aged between 20 to 24 years old, all residents of Ipil town, Zamboanga Sibugay.

“These are the syndicates that are bringing in the illegal drugs in Zamboanga Sibugay,” Beltran told the press here.

Beltran said police forces from the 1st Maneuvering Company of the Regional Public Safety Company (RPSC) received tip about a black Nissan with plate number VBL 541, transporting big volume of shabu from Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte to Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.

The police forces launched the operation by setting a checkpoint along the highway of Barangay Overview to intercept the vehicle.

Beltran said the police forces signaled the target vehicle to pull over. The police team fired at the vehicle when it sped away, killing two suspects on the spot while the other was declared dead on arrival when rushed to the hospital.

Recovered were caliber .45 pistol loaded with ammunition, caliber .38 revolver, a hand grenade, ten small sachets of suspected shabu and a pack of suspected shabu wrapped in masking tape. 

Beltran said the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) are yet to determine the exact volume of the shabu.

“But this is big, because the neutralized suspects belonged to the syndicate group based in Ozamis City,” he added.