2 drug suspects killed in Sulu; 3 cops hurt

From ABS-CBN (Aug 8): 2 drug suspects killed in Sulu; 3 cops hurt

Two drug suspects were killed while three police officers were wounded in anti-illegal drugs operations in Barangay Kandang, Maimbung, Sulu on Monday.

Senior Superintendent Mario Buyuccan, Sulu provincial police director, identified the suspects as Boogie Hajirin and Nurhassan Mandangan Padin.

Hajirin was cornered by police officers inside his house. Padin, who holed up inside his house, was also killed in a follow-up operation.

Police recovered three sachets of suspected shabu, drug paraphernalia, and an M-16 rifle from the house of Padin.

The suspects were allegedly responsible for the distribution and sale of illegal drugs in Maimbung and nearby towns.

According to Buyuccan, the two are also linked to the Abu Sayyaf's operation in Sulu.

The police officers injured in the operations include Inspector Ergie Wanawan, the chief of police of Maimbung Municipal Police Station.

The two other injured police officers were identified as PO3 Jun Jumah and PO1 Benasri Arah.

They were part of the raiding team and were hit by gunfire from the suspects.

Wanawan and Arah were airlifted to Zamboanga City while Jumah was brought to a local hospital.

At least five civilians were allegedly caught in the crossfire during the operations.

Buyuccan, however, denied this, saying the operations were properly executed without any collateral damage.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/07/17/2-drug-suspects-killed-in-sulu-3-cops-hurt