Republic of the Office of the President PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY NIA Northside Road, National Government Center Barangay Pinyahan,

PRESS RELEASE # 371/16 DATE : August 17, 2016 AUTHORITY : ISIDRO S LAPEÑA, PhD, CSEE Director General For more information, comments and suggestions please call: DERRICK ARNOLD C. CARREON, CESE, Director, Public Information Office Tel. No. 929-3244, 927-9702 Loc.131; Cell phone: 09159111585

MILF COMMANDER KILLED, 10 ARRESTED DURING SULTAN KUDARAT SEARCH

An alleged commander and 10 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were arrested by anti-narcotics agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), in collaboration with the Philippine National Police (PNP) following an authorized search in Sultan Kudarat. The MILF Commander was killed during the operation.

PDEA Director General Isidro S. Lapeña identified the slain suspect as Ugalingan Manuel Jr., alias Commander Boyet, who was shot by joint elements of the PDEA Regional Office 12 (PDEA RO12) under Director Lyndon Aspacio, Sultan Kudarat Police Provincial Office, Sultan Kudarat Police Public Safety Battalion, Provincial Intelligence Branch and PNP Special Action Force (SAF) 2nd Special Action Company after he opened fire at the lawmen to elude arrest in Sitio Ogiz, Barangay Margues, Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat.

Manuel is the field commander of MILF’s 106th Base Command.

On August 12, 2016 at around 6:00 in the morning, after identifying themselves as law enforcers, the operating team served the search warrant against Manuel. However, the latter tried to evade arrest by engaging the operatives in a gunfight that led to his death

Also arrested during the operation were other MILF members identified as Jimmy Manuel, alias Commander Jimmy, 62; Radzes Abdul, 27; Jonathan Malaguail, 20, his brother Jomar, 26; Samar Datugan, 37; Tandayo Bulugon, 47; Felix Dalison, 41; Lumonggal Aku, alias Saddam; and two minors.

Confiscated inside the house were 11 transparent plastic sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, weighing approximately three grams, worth P22,500, one cal. 30 MI Garand rifle; one cal. 7.72mm M2 Garand rifle; one cal. 45 pistol loaded with a magazine containing three pices of live ammunition, one M79 tube homemade with chamber loaded with one piece of live ammunition, one converter , one AK47 rifle, one , assorted pieces of live ammunition, two pairs of combat boots, two handheld radios, four mobile phones, eight pieces of bandolier and three camouflage upper garments.

The arrested suspects will be charged for violation of Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165 or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. A separate case for violation of RA 10591, or The Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Act, will also be filed against them. They are presently detained at Esperanza Municipal Police Station Jail Facility.

The two minors will be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provincial office.

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