2 dead in drug raid on Maguindanao vice mayor’s house

MAGUINDANAO , Philippines  —   Two persons were killed in an alleged shootout with police officers who raided the house of Vice Mayor Otto Montawal of Datu Montawal town in Barangay Talapas yesterday.

Montawal’s bodyguards Belag and Mantak, both surnamed Alon, fired at police officers serving a search warrant for illegal drugs, according to a report of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police.

Montawal reportedly escaped before the raiding team arrived.

It has yet to be determined if illegal drugs or unlicensed firearms were recovered from Montawal’s house.

Police said Montawal’s son Vicman, the incumbent mayor,  and his brother Andy were also subjects of the search warrant issued by North Cotabato Regional Trial Court Branch 16 Judge Alandrex Betoya.

Montawal is among local government officials in President Duterte’s narco list.

4 drug suspects slain

Meanwhile, three persons were killed in drug busts in Laguna, Quezon and Occidental Mindoro on Wednesday.

Rey Conde, alias Denong, and Ramon Sotelo, alias Ramon, allegedly fired at police officers who posed as buyers of shabu in Barangay Pinagsanjan, Pagsanjan, Laguna and Barangay 11, Lucena, Quezon, respectively.

The fatalities were on the drug watchlist in their areas, police said.

In Occidental Mindoro, Jose Catalan, alias Jojo, allegedly shot anti-narcotics agents in Barangay San Roque, San Jose.

Superintendent Imelda Tolentino, Mimaropa police spokesperson, said the fatality was recently released from prison.

In Negros Occidental, drug suspect Reagan Balopeños, 31, was shot by unidentified motorcycle riders in San Carlos City.

Probers said Balopeños was eating lunch with his wife at their residence in Barangay 2 when the gunmen opened fire. He was declared dead on arrival at the San Carlos District Hospital.    – With Non Alquitran, Ed Amoroso, Gilbert Bayoran