Ex-councilor killed, missing SAF 44 firearm seized in Pikit drug raid

PIKIT, North Cotabato – A former town councilor was killed during a big-time drug operation here before dawn Tuesday, which also resulted in the recovery of the missing firearm of a Special Action Force (SAF) member killed in the infamous Mamasapano clash in January 2015.

Armed with nine search warrants, police authorities, backed by soldiers and anti-drug agents, raided at 2 a.m. three residential compounds near the town public market in Barangay Malaulanan.

Supt. Maximo Sebastian, commander of the Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operations Task Force in Region 12, who led the raiding team, identified the slain former town councilor as Dindo Piang.

“Piang is listed as a high value target in this co-plan operation, he resisted arrest and opted to shoot it out with lawmen, our troops responded accordingly,” he said.

Piang, who ran for vice mayor of Pikit but lost in the May elections, was brought to a local hospital where he died from his gunshot wounds. Policemen seized .45 caliber pistol  from him.

Sebastian said among the houses searched was owned by Nasser Karim, son of Senior Inspector Sindatu Karim, incumbent deputy police chief of Pikit.

Police seized from Nasser Karim several high-powered firearms, including four units of M-16 armalite rifles, two units of M-14 rifles, several ammunition and hand-held radio equipment.

Upon inspection, police found out that one of the M-16 rifles was government property stolen from a SAF member who was among the 44 killed in an operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on January 25, 2015.

“This was properly identified and verified by our comrades in SAF during the verification and documentation of firearms,” Sebastian said.

Meanwhile, Col. Noly Samarita, commander of 602nd Brigade, advised police and military personnel in his area to be vigilant and alert of possible retaliation resulting from the operation.

“We are most willing to work with our policemen in the drug war and law enforcement,” he said.

Senior Inspector Sindatu Karim, in a local radio news interview, defended his son Nasser, saying the firearms seized from him were for self-defense as they were receiving threats from armed enemies. —KBK, GMA News