SULTAN KUDARAT, Maguindanao del Norte — Two men listed among the most wanted persons at the municipal and provincial levels were killed in a predawn shootout with police operatives serving a warrant of arrest in Barangay Rebuken on Monday, March 23, 2026.
Authorities identified the fatalities as Peter D. Osorio, 35, a resident of Antipas, North Cotabato, and Edwin J. Mallorca, 56, a resident of Barangay Rebuken. Both were facing murder charges and were ranked among the Top 2 Most Wanted Persons locally and provincially, and Top 8 across Police Regional Office 12.
The operation, conducted at around 3:30 a.m. by joint elements of the Sultan Kudarat Municipal Police Station, aimed to serve a warrant of arrest against Osorio issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 15 in Kabacan, North Cotabato.
According to Lt. Col. Esmael Madin, chief of police of Sultan Kudarat, the suspects allegedly resisted arrest, triggering a brief but intense exchange of gunfire.
Police reports said operatives had located the suspects’ temporary hideout in Barangay Rebuken. However, their presence was reportedly detected after dogs in the area barked, alerting the suspects.
“When our personnel introduced themselves and presented the warrant of arrest, Osorio immediately opened fire, while Mallorca attempted to throw a grenade,” Madin said.
This prompted law enforcers to return fire. Within minutes, both suspects were critically wounded.
They were rushed to the Cotabato Sanitarium and General Hospital but were declared dead on arrival.
Recovered from the scene were a caliber .45 pistol, a hand grenade, and 12 sachets of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of more than P7,700.
Initial investigation indicated that the suspects’ armed resistance posed an immediate threat to the operating team, prompting the police to engage in self-defense.
The bodies of Osorio and Mallorca were later transferred to a local morgue in Sultan Kudarat for autopsy.
Lt. Col. Madin emphasized that the operation was carried out in accordance with established police procedures in serving warrants of arrest. He added that the police remain open to any investigation to ensure transparency and accountability.
“We are ready to undergo any form of review to ensure that justice is served and that proper protocols were followed,” he said.
Authorities are continuing their investigation, including the collection of additional evidence from the scene and coordination with the families of the deceased.