PDEA agent, alleged drug trafficker killed in Tawi-Tawi clash
Three Navy personnel wounded in the gun battle
By Chito Chavez
An agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and a suspected drug trafficker died while three Marine commandos were wounded in a gun fight during an anti-illegal drug operation in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi on Sunday, Aug. 9.
Backed by Navy personnel, PDEA agents conducted an operation to entrap a group of alleged drug dealers in the Mapanbubu area in Paniongan.
However, the operation turned ugly after the alleged drug dealers opened fire at the law men after one of the suspects sold shabu to the undercover agent.
In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, one of the alleged drug traffickers was killed after attacking the joint PDEA-BARMM, police and marine law enforcement team.
Malabanan sustained a bullet wound to the head and was immediately airlifted by the Philippine Air Force (PAF) team to a Zamboanga City hospital.
Local Tawi-tawi officials and policemen said the heavily armed drug dealers involved in the bloody clash managed to escape and are now the subject of a police-military manhunt.