A SERIES of anti-narcotics operations in Southern Mindanao conducted by officers from the Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11) resulted in the killing of two top drug suspects in separate gunfights and the arrest of nine others, PRO11 Director Brigadier General Benjamin H. Silo Jr. told the Journal Group on Saturday.

The official also reported to the Philippine National Police chief, Gen. Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., that confiscated from the possession of the suspects were nearly P800,000 worth of shabu and several unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

He said that one of the suspects, with the alias “Archie”, was tagged as the no. 1 drug target of the Sta. Ana Police Station in Davao City was killed in a gunfight with undercover officers near a carwash in Purok 4-B in Barangay 23 around 5:30 p.m. last Wednesday.

Recovered were a chamber-loaded caliber .45 pistol with a magazine containing two live ammunition, a sling bag with two plastic sachets containing nearly nine grams of the so-called “poor man’s cocaine” worth around P60,000, and the buy-bust money.

Silo said that members of the Sta. Ana Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), led by Lt. Rizalito Clapiz III, conducted the sting. However, the official reported that in the middle of the operation, the suspect sensed he was dealing with a cop and immediately drew his concealed pistol and fired shots at the poseur but missed.

A backup operative was forced to retaliate, killing the suspect on the spot.

The 2nd suspect was killed in a shootout with members of the Davao del Norte Police Provincial Office’s DEU and Special Operations Group (SOG) who raided his house in Purok 1, Pagarain, Bgy. Apokon in Tagum City on the strength of a search warrant for illegal possession of drugs and firearms issued by Judge Jimmy Boco of the Tagum City RTC (Regional Trial Court) Branch 2.

The official said that during the conduct of the search, the suspect suddenly opened fire at the lawmen hitting P/SSgt. Ryan Quimba and forcing other members of the team to retaliate.

The suspect and the policeman were both taken to the Davao Regional Medical Center, where an attending physician declared the drug suspect dead upon arrival. Quimba was placed under medical observation before a scheduled surgery.

Silo said that the slain suspect yielded a cal. .45 pistol with a magazine containing five bullets.

The other suspects were arrested in separate buy-bust operations, the official said.

A known “high-value individual” and another suspect were arrested in a buy-bust operation in Purok 2, Bucana, Bgy. 76-A in Davao City past 6:00 p.m. last Tuesday. Seized from the duo were some P5,000 worth of shabu and the marked money paid to them by officers.

Four others were arrested in a sting in Purok San Antonio in Bgy. Cuambogan in Tagum City in Davao del Norte 1:50 a.m. Wednesday. A 5th suspect, who happened to be only 15-year-old was also arrested during the operation.

Recovered from the suspects were over 50 grams of shabu valued at P342,000, a cal. .45 pistol with defaced serial numbers, a magazine with five live ammunition, a digital weighing scale, and assorted drug sniffing paraphernalia.

A suspected drug den maintainer and his two visitors were arrested during an anti-narcotics operation in Abbas Street in Bgy. Poblacion, Malita, Davao Occidental, which led to the recovery of an estimated P102,000 worth of shabu and various drug paraphernalia last Tuesday.

Silo said that the 68-year-old drug den maintainer turned out to be a job order employee at the provincial governor’s office, while the other suspect is a public school teacher.

An 8th suspect, a city-level drug personality, and his two cohorts were arrested in a buy-bust operation in Samantha Homes Subdivision in Catalunan Pequeño in Davao City past 10:00 a.m. Tuesday.

Recovered during the operation were some P196,000 worth of dried marijuana leaves and the buy-bust money.

The 9th, the no. 8 most wanted drug personality in the region, and his accomplice were arrested in an anti-drugs operation in Purok Sto. Niño in Bgy. Batobato in San Isidro, Davao Oriental, 1:00 a.m. Tuesday.

Recovered during the conduct of the search warrant for illegal possession of drugs issued by Judge Emilio Dayanghirang were an estimated P17,000 worth of shabu and a cal. .38 revolver with five bullets.

Silo said that the arrested suspects are now facing charges for violation of the Republic Act (RA) 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and RA 10591 – the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013.