ZAMBOANGA CITY – A lawless group members died while two others arrested in a law enforcement operation Tuesday in Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi, officials announced.
The slain lawless group member was identified as Sabri Umbing while the other two arrested were Suraidi Umbing, 70 and Arasad Mukin, 56, according to Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom)
Vinluan said that Sabri was declared dead on arrival by the hospital’s attending physician as he was hit when troops retaliated when the suspect resisted and opened fire during a joint law enforcement operation by way of service of warrant of arrest around 1:15 a.m. Tuesday in Barangay Batu-Batu, Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi.
Vinluan said that the joint Marine troops and policemen recovered from Sabri an M-14 rifle with one magazine and 17 rounds of ammunition.
Lt. Col. Henry Espinosa, Marine Battalion Landing Team-12 (MBLT-12) commander, said the troops seized from Suraid a Garand rifle with eight rounds of ammunition and from Mukin an AK-47 assault rifle with six magazines and 147 rounds of ammunition, and one cellular phone.
A companion of the suspects identified as Ilol Umbing managed to escape but he abandoned one AK-47 assault rifle with two long and four short magazines with 57 rounds of ammunition, and one long M-16 magazine with 88 rounds of ammunition.
Espinosa said all the four suspects have standing warrant of arrest for the crime of multiple murders issued on February 17, 2000 by the court of Parang, Sulu. – Nikolai Gonzalo
