Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte – Police apprehended two alleged killers-for-hire who were also reportedly involved in the illegal drug trade during a New Year’s Day operation early Wednesday in Barangay Gang.
Brig. Gen. Romeo Juan Macapaz, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), confirmed on Wednesday morning that the two suspects, identified as Salahudin Datukali, 20, and Jaybie Abo, 24, are now in police custody and facing multiple charges.
According to Macapaz, officers from the Sultan Kudarat Municipal Police Station, led by Lt. Col. Esmael Madin, encountered Datukali and Abo along the highway in Barangay Gang. The suspects, who appeared to be in an ambush position with a motorcycle, aroused suspicion. Upon being accosted and searched, each was found carrying a .45 caliber pistol.
Reports from intelligence units of PRO-BAR and the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division revealed that the suspects had been under surveillance for several weeks. Informants had linked them to a string of murders in recent months in Cotabato City and neighboring municipalities, including Sultan Kudarat and Datu Odin Sinsuat.
The arrest marks a significant development in the region’s efforts to curb violence and drug-related crimes, which have plagued several communities in Maguindanao del Norte. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the suspects’ activities and their possible connections to larger criminal networks.