MATALAM, North Cotabato – A wanted person was killed while a police officer was injured in a brief shootout during a law enforcement operation in Barangay Kilada here Tuesday.
Chief Supt. Eliseo Tam Rasco, police director for Region 12, identified the slain wanted person as Jonathan Salipada, 45, of Barangay Kilada, while the wounded police officer is PO2 Jogie Tamay.
Armed with search arrest warrant for carnapping with homicide issued by Judge Alandrex Betoya of Regional Trial Court Branch 16 against Salipada, the police went to the wanted man’s home at around 1:15 p.m.
“As soon as they introduced themselves as law enforcers, Salipada who was inside his home, fired his .45-caliber pistol toward PO2 Tamay forcing other law enforcers to shoot him,” Rasco said in a statement.
Both wounded, Salipada and Tamay were rushed by police to a hospital but Salipada was declared dead on arrival. Tamay was later moved to a bigger hospital in Kidapawan City.
Police recovered from Salipada’s home was a .45-caliber pistol and spent bullets for an M16 rifle and .45-caliber pistol. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
