Three men were killed after an operation to serve warrants of arrest by joint operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Philippine National Police (PNP) turned into an armed encounter Wednesday afternoon, April 15, in Barangay Jonobjonob, Escalante City, Negros Occidental.
The operation was led by the PDEA Regional Office–Negros Island Region, with assistance from the PNP Escalante Component Police Station and other law enforcement agencies.
According to the report, the suspects allegedly resisted arrest and fired first at authorities while the warrant of arrest was being served, triggering an exchange of gunfire.
Killed in the incident were suspects identified by their aliases as “Joseph,” who had three standing warrants of arrest; “Piolo,” a resident of Barangay Malasibog; and “Roy,” a resident of Barangay Jonobjonob. All were reported to be residents of Escalante City.
Authorities recovered 13 heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu from the scene. The illegal drugs had an estimated weight of 13 grams with a standard value of ₱88,400.
Also seized were one M16A1 rifle with one magazine, 23 live rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, and three spent shells of the same caliber.
Two caliber .45 pistols with two magazines, four live rounds of .45 ammunition, and two spent shells were also recovered during the operation.
All recovered evidence has been turned over to authorities for laboratory examination and proper disposition as investigations into the incident continue.
