The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has vowed to hunt down the other persons allegedly involved in the 2018 killing of seven agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in barangay Malna, Kapai, Lanao del Sur.
NBI Officer-in-Charge Director Eric B. Distor on Monday, April 18, aired the assurance after the NBI found and killed one of the suspects, identified as former Tagolan II town Mayor and barangay chairman Gandawali Comayog, during a firefight last April 13 in Wao, Lanao del Sur while NBI and Philippine National Police (PNP) operatives were serving a warrant of arrest.
“OIC-Director Distor has directed NBI agents to conduct follow-up operations to apprehend the cohorts of subject Comayog as he emphasized that the NBI will not stop until they are brought to justice to answer for their crimes,” the NBI said in a statement.
The NBI said that Comayog had been identified as the leader of the Gandawali group that ambushed the PDEA agents and was also the brother of Macapagal Comayog, who has been in the government’s drug watch list and was slain during an anti-illegal drugs buy-bust operation in Marawi City.
“Distor stressed that subject Comayog had an Outstanding Warrant of Arrest for Violation of Section 28 (a) of R.A. 10591 issued by the RTC (Regional Trial Court) Branch 10 of Marawi City on February 2019,” it said.
It noted that during the service of the warrant against Comayog, government operatives were “fired upon using an M79 Grenade Launcher and M16 Rifle.”
“An armed confrontation ensued that resulted in the neutralization of said subject and the wounding of Patrolman Rasul Asilum on the side of the operating team during the firefight, which lasted for more than an hour,” the NBI said.
It said that after the firefight, Camayog was rushed to Wao District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Asilum, on the other hand, was given medical assistance and was declared out of danger, it also said.
“The Operating Team was able to recover a cache of high-powered firearms and ammunitions,” it added.