Cotabato City — Government operatives shot dead a multiple murder suspect and arrested his three accomplices in a series of operations Friday in Matanog, Maguindanao.
The Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region identified the fatality as Itek Dumran Cocoy, whom agents of PRO-BAR and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group neutralized when he grabbed the firearm of one of the policemen escorting him out of their hideout.
Cocoy and his companions first fired at combined agents from CIDG’s Bangsamoro regional office, personnel of PRO-BAR and members of the Navy’s 5th Marine Battalion while approaching their lair at Barangay Bugasan Sur in Matanog, provoking a 30-minute shootout that waned only when they ran out of ammunition.
Three accomplices of Cocoy named Makasilang Abdulhazis, Manan Macarimbang and Tingo Macasalong were arrested one after another after exchanging shots with the joint Police-Marine team dispatched to arrest them as ordered by a regional court.
The PRO-BAR said policemen seized from the suspects a .30 caliber Browning Automatic Rifle, a grenade launcher and several 40 millimeter grenade projectiles and a .38 caliber revolver.
PRO-BAR’s director, Brig. Gen. Manuel Abu, said Saturday credit for the joint Bangsamoro police-CIDG operation that led to the death of Cocoy and the arrest of his cohorts also goes the 5th Marine Battalion, which is helping maintain law and order in Matanog and nearby municipalities.
(John M. Unson/Â South Cotabato News)
