Sultan Kudarat town cop chief relieved over ‘shootout’

TACURONG CITY, Philippines — Maj. Jenahmeel Toñacao, police chief of Lambayong town in Sultan Kudarat, has been relieved from his post in connection with an alleged shootout on Thursday that left three persons dead.

Col. Christopher Bermudez, Sultan Kudarat police director, said personnel of the Lambayong police station tagged in the shootout have also been relieved from their posts to pave the way for an impartial probe. He did not identify the policemen.

Samanudin Ali, Horton Ansa Jr. and Arsad Ansa were killed in an alleged shootout with law enforcers who cornered them after a brief chase for evading a checkpoint.

Toñacao had earlier claimed that the three had opened fire at police who pursued them.

He said two .45-caliber pistols, a fragmentation grenade and a sachet of shabu were recovered from the fatalities.

The father of one of the fatalities, Horton Ansa Sr., a policeman assigned in Shariff Saydona Mustapha in Maguindanao del Sur, denied Toñacao’s claims, saying there were indications that his son and the companions were shot at close range.