3 alleged criminal gang members killed in Compostela

DAVAO CITY – Three suspected members of a dreaded criminal group in Southern Mindanao were killed including a cop, while three policemen were wounded in a brief firefight Friday night in Compostela town, Compostela Valley.

According to Compostela Valley provincial police chief Senior Superintendent Ronald dela Rosa, the victims were members of the Djangla group that operates in the northern part of the region.

Dela Rosa said policemen were serving a warrant of arrest at around 8 p.m. Friday against a certain Emmanuel Quijano, alias Djangla who was reported to be the leader of the group, at Sitio Quibawa, Barangay Osmeña in Compostela town.

Dela Rosa said the arresting law enforcers were instead fired at by Quijano’s group wherein a brief firefight ensued and resulted to the death of Quijano and two others who remained unidentified but were believed to be also members of the criminal gang.

Quijano was said to be in the most wanted list in the region as he was allegedly involved in several murder and drug-related cases.

However, three of the raiding policemen were also wounded during the firefight as Quijano and his men reportedly threw a grenade at the government forces.

Those wounded were PO3 Randy Pingol and PO3 Diomedis Villanueva of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group who suffered minor injuries while PO3 Allan Ruiz of the Compostela Valley Provincial Police Office, was reported to be in critical condition.