ZAMBOANGA CITY – A member of a crime group involved in illegal drug trade and other atrocities was killed in an intelligence-driven law enforcement operation in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, a top police official announced Sunday.
Police Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, Police Region Office-9 (PRO-9) director, identified the slain crime group member as Amaroddin Cahal, who has pending cases for murder and frustrated murder.
Ylagan said that Cahal was killed as firefight ensued when policemen launched a law enforcement operation by way of service of warrant of arrest against the Jay-R Padala crime group led by Esmael Sanday alias Boy Negro around 7:45 a.m. Saturday in Barangay Boyugan West, Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur.
The crime group is also involved in extortion and gun-for-hire activities aside from illegal drug trade, according to Ylagan.
He said the operatives recovered a Garand rifle and four clips of live ammunition from the slain crime group member. – Nikolai Gonzalo