A BARANGAY captain in Balabagan, Lanao del Sur was killed in s shootout with agents of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detectio Group who tried to arrest him and his cohorts in anti-weapons sting on Saturday PNP-CIDG director, Major General Leo M. Francisco said.
Billy Hack Ogca, chairman of Ooblacion, Balabagan municipality died on the spot after exchanging shots with officers near a gasoline station in Bgy. Upper 3, said the official.
At least six other cohorts of the slain village official managed to elude arrest and are still being hunted as of press time.
Recovered during the operation were two caliber 5.56 automatic rifles, two cal. .45 semi-automatic pistols, two cal. 7.62 rifles, over 100 rounds if assorted live ammunition and the buy-bust money.
The slain suspect was tagged as the one who negotiated the sale of four guns to an undercover officer for P500,000 prior to the gunfight.
He and his alleged accomplices who were wearing military uniforms and were on board a white Toyota pick-up were involved in the attempt to sell the illegal weapons to an undercover officer of the CIDG Maguindanao Provincial Field Unit.
However, the suspects opened fire at the poseur and his fellows when they sensed the sting prompting the lawmen to retaliate.
The other suspects ran inside a nearby Army patrol base where they disappeared without a trace, with duty troops claiming they did not see anybody entering their detachment during the pursuit operation.
An investigation into the incident is still underway, said Maj. Gen. Francisco.