High-value suspect killed in NoCot anti-drug op

COTABATO CITY – Police neutralized a high-value target (HVT) drug suspect for allegedly resisting arrest and for engaging lawmen in a shootout in Libungan, North Cotabato on Tuesday.

Lt. Col. Lino Capellan, Soccsksargen police spokesperson, identified the suspect as Arnold Vargel Ting, 44, of Lucilla Village, Barangay Poblacion, Libungan.

A team of operatives from the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit, North Cotabato police office, Libungan municipal police station, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency launched a buy-bust against the suspect, who was armed with a .45-caliber pistol, Capellan said.

“A poseur-buyer was able to buy a sachet of shabu from Ting using a marked PHP500 bill," he said, adding it was at this point that Ting sensed that he was dealing with an undercover agent and tried to escape using his tricycle.

However, Capellan said the arresting officers managed to block the suspect's way.

“The suspect then pulled his pistol and traded shots with law enforcers, critically wounding him in the process,” the police official said.

Police rushed Ting to a hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival by doctors.

Aside from his Kimber .45-caliber pistol, police said they also recovered nine sachets of suspected shabu, the PHP500 marked money, and black motorcycle with sidecar without a plate number.

Capellan said Ting was included in the police’s inter-agency drug information database list and was categorized as Level 1 HVT.

He said the recovered pieces of evidence from the suspect are now under the custody of police provincial crime laboratory office in Kidapawan City for documentation and proper disposition. (PNA)