Murder suspect arrested in Lanao del Sur; two injured in encounter

Two people were hurt after an encounter occurred between authorities and residents during the serving of  a warrant of arrest against a murder suspect in Lanao del Sur.

The incident occurred on April 27 in Barangay Mapantao in the municipality of Bayang, according to a statement of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) on Saturday.

The subject of the arrest warrant, identified as alias Ansari, said to be one of the most wanted, was nabbed, according to a report by Carlo Mateo on Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday. Alias Ansari has a warrant of arrest issued in 2019 by a court in Lanao del Sur, the CIDG said.

Recovered from the suspect was a caliber 7.62mm M-14 rifle.

The injured include a patrolman who sustained a gunshot wound, and the uncle of the subject. They were brought to the hospital for immediate medical treatment.

According to the CIDG, during the course of the manhunt operations, operatives from the CIDG Lanao del Sur Provincial Field Unit, Regional Mobile Force Battalion 1402nd and 1403rd Companies, Regional Intelligence Unit 15 and other territorial police units encountered more or less 15 armed men. A firefight ensued before the arrest. —KG, GMA Integrated News