General Santos City—Two alleged drug personalities on President Rodrigo Duterte’s “narco list” were killed in an encounter with anti-drug operatives in a village here on Saturday night.
Chief Supt. Eliseo Rasco, Region 12 police director, on Sunday said the encounter ensued during two major search operations in Barangay Fatima here against three targeted drug personalities, including a police officer assigned in Maguindanao province.
He identified the slain suspects as Juliet Sepi Bitayo, 46, and Noren Balawag Apil, 54, both residents of Ondok Gawan Road, Purok 16 in Barangay Fatima.
Rasco said the two resisted arrest and engaged operatives in a firefight during a search operation in the area at 10:20 p.m. Saturday.
The suspects were rushed to the Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Hospital but were declared dead on arrival by attending doctors, he said.
Rasco said the search warrant, which was issued by Davao City Regional Trial Court Branch 16 Judge Emmanuel Carpio, mainly targeted Bitayo for violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
“Bitayo was a level 1 target drug personality while Apil was listed under level 2 based on the President’s narco list,” Rasco said.
The operating team was composed of joint elements from the Police Regional Office 12’s intelligence division, city police’s drug enforcement unit, city mobile force company, city intelligence branch and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Region 12.
Recovered during the search were two caliber .38 revolvers loaded with ammunition, a Norinco .45-caliber pistol with a loaded magazine, a medium plastic pack and six square-shaped plastic sachets containing suspected shabu.
In another search operation, Rasco said the team seized suspected shabu, firearms, ammunition and a grenade at the house of PO1 Michael Sepi in the same village.
He said Sepi, who is assigned at the Maguindanao Police Provincial Office, is a brother of Juliet Bitayo and reportedly “one of her protectors.”
“He (PO1 Sepi) was not around during the operation and is currently at-large,” the police official said.
