Gun-for-hire gunned down
POLICE Regional Office 9 (PRO9) director, Brigadier General Bowenn Joey M. Masauding yesterday announced the neutralization of the 6th most wanted person in Western Mindanao, following a gunbattle with local policemen out to arrest him for a string of major criminal offenses in Zamboanga del Sur on Thursday.
In a report to Philippine National Police chief, General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil, the official said that the suspect, identified as 39-year-old Allan Giamat, shot it out with members of the Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office who tracked him down in his hideout in Purok Mauswagon, Barangay Poblacion in Labangan municipality 12:45 a.m. Thursday.
Members of the Labangan and Aurora Municipal Police Stations, the Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Intelligence Unit and Provincial Mobile Force Company and the 902nd Regional Mobile Force Battalion were involved in the successful operation, Masauding said.
The official said that the slain suspect, a jobless resident of Purok Malipayon in Bgy. Upper Campo Islam in Labangan, is a PRO9 “high-priority target” and is the subject of a warrant of arrest for multiple attempted murder and damage to property issued by the Pagadian City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 18 with a P180,000 recommended bail.
The Pagadian City RTC Branch 19 also ordered the arrest of the suspect for violation of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013, with a P60,000 bail recommended.
Masauding said that the accused has been known as a notorious gun-for-hire personality and drug dealer in Zamboanga del Sur whose recent caper took place in Labangan.
The PRO9 said that while about to be arrested inside his rented room, the suspect opened fire at officers with his caliber .45 semi-automatic pistol prompting a member of the raiding team to retaliate, thus hitting him.
The suspect was taken to the Aurora municipality infirmary where an attending physician declared him dead upon arrival.
A chamber-loaded cal. .45 pistol was recovered from the possession of the slain suspect.
Masauding said the neutralization of the suspect is part of their continuing conduct of intelligence-driven operations to account for more wanted criminals in the region.
