Crime gang leader killed in Maguindanao del Norte clash
(Infographics from the 6th Division of the Philippine Army)
COTABATO CITY — Security forces killed a wanted criminal gang leader during a law enforcement operation in Maguindanao del Norte on Monday, military officials reported Tuesday.
Kamlon Manardas Ragundo, 34, died in a firefight as police, assisted by soldiers, were serving arrest warrants for his brother and seven others in Barangay Panggao, Barira town.
Marine Battalion Landing Team-2 (MBLT-2) assisted the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PNP CIDG-BARMM) and local police in delivering the arrest warrants.
“Our role was to provide augmentation to the CIDG, but we were fired upon, so we returned fire,” said MBLT-2 commander Lt. Col. John Dela Cruz in an interview.
Troops recovered two M16A1 rifles, grenades and ammunition from Ragundo.
Brig. Gen. Romulo Quemado II, 1st Marine Brigade commander, identified Ragundo’s group as responsible for gun-for-hire operations, armed robberies, and drug trafficking across five Maguindanao del Norte towns and Cotabato City.
Quemado said the gang had ties to Dawlah Islamiya-Hassan Group terrorist Alpha King.
The operation came one day after Barira declared DI-Hassan Group persona non grata, pledging support for the security forces.
