A FARMER facing a drug case was killed in a clash during a law enforcement operation in the province of Lanao del Norte, the police said Saturday, October 17, 2026.
Police Colonel Leo Sua, Lanao del Norte police director, identified the slain drug suspect as alias Dau, 50, who is charged with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Sua said the clash happened around 4:40 p.m. Thursday, October 15, in Inudaran village, Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte.
Sua said the clash ensued when Dau, armed with a .45 caliber pistol, opened fire and attempted to escape while the joint police and military team was about to serve a warrant of arrest against the suspect.
Sua said Dau was wounded when the troops returned fire. The suspect was rushed to Kauswagan Provincial Hospital for medical attention but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.
“Our primary objective in serving warrants of arrest is to bring wanted individuals before the proper courts and ensure that justice is served through lawful means. We do not seek armed confrontation, and we always prioritize the preservation of human life,” Sua said in a statement.
“However, our personnel must also take appropriate and lawful measures to protect themselves and the public when confronted with an immediate threat,” he added.
The suspect has a standing warrant of arrest for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 issued by a court in Iligan City dated September 28, 2012, with a recommended bail bond of P200,000.
Sua said the operatives recovered from the suspect a caliber .45 with a steel magazine loaded with live ammunition, two caliber .45 cartridges, amulets, a mobile phone, and other personal belongings.
Also recovered were a pair of slippers, six fired cartridge cases of 9-millimeter (mm) ammunition, and one 9-mm cartridge.
Sua said the remains of the suspect were turned over to his family and relatives and brought to Cayontor village, Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, for burial preparations in accordance with Maranao traditions. (SunStar Zamboanga)