After the shootout that killed five heavily armed drug suspects in Barangay Kawayan, Inabanga, the town’s police revealed that the slain, led by David Anunciado were also involved in gun-for-hire operations in Bohol.

Police Officer 3 Jose Mitchel Niodas of the Inabanga Police Station said that they received information indicating that the group of alleged drug lord Anunciado was involved in hired killings.

While such illegal operations are common in the area according to residents, Anunciado’s group was known and feared in the barangay and its fringes, Niodas added.

After the shootout between the police raiding team and the suspects on Sunday, June 5, 2016, the authorities found high-caliber firearms in the alleged drug pushers’ possession.

Collected from the crime scene were four .45 caliber pistols, one KG9 machine pistol, one .22 caliber rifle, and one 5.56 M16 Armalite, all of which were full of live ammunition. The police also found two hand grenades.

The Police Regional Office (PRO-7) and Inabanga police were also able to seize P3 million worth of suspected shabu during the operation.

According to Niodas, the operations of Anunciado’s group had been running for two years before the suspects were killed and apprehended.

They were operating in the entire province including Tagbilaran City.

The Inabanga authorities had tried to go after Anunciado even before the last operation but the suspect was able to elude arrest, prodding them to seek help from the regional police to eradicate the growing operations of the alleged drug lord.

Led by the PRO-7, the team successfully brought down Anunciado’s group after a shootout that had no casualty on the police side.

The police used a dump truck to cover their approach as they were about to serve a search warrant at Anunciado’s residence but a gun battle still ensued as the suspects noticed the nearing operatives and relentlessly fired upon them. (with reports from Allen Doydora)