A suspected hitman was arrested and his wife was shot dead while nine others, including a town police chief, were wounded in a law enforcement operation in Antipas, Cotabato last Friday.
Chief Supt. Eliseo Tam Rasco, director of the Police Regional Office 12, identified the fatality as Arlene Denosapal, 49, of Sitio Panipasan, Barangay Datu Agod.
Wounded were Arlene’s husband, Edwin, 54, a gun-for-hire suspect and the subject of the operation; Rolando and Mercedita Bayocboc, 42 and 43, respectively; Forferio Poblico, 66; Cherry Mae Denosapal; Senior Insp. Bernard Abarquez, chief of police of Antipas; and PO1 Ubert Colago, SPO1 Albert Tubang, and PO3 Nero Antonio Osorio, all members of the Cotabato Provincial Mobile Force Company. Osorio was taken to the Kidapawan Medical Specialist Hospital in Kidapawan City for critical bullet wounds.
Initial investigation showed that the Cotabato police provincial intelligence branch, provincial mobile force company, Antipas police, and Philippine Army 19th Infantry Battalion served a search warrant against Edwin in their house around 1:10 a.m. issued by Arvin Sadiri Balagot, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 17, 12th Judicial Region in Kidapawan City, for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition.
Rasco said Edwin had long been the subject of surveillance operations after they received an intelligence report that he works as a paid assassin. Edwin’s areas of operation are North Cotabato and Maguindanao.
However, when the operating troops arrived at the Denosapals’ house, they were allegedly met with gun fire, Rasco said, forcing them to return fire.
Eventually, Rasco said, the troops managed to hit Edwin in the body until he surrendered to the police and military after a long gunfight. (Martin Sadongdong)
