Two men including a man facing a robbery charge were killed in a shootout against police operatives of the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) in Buenavista on Friday afternoon.

Authorities identified the fatalities as Aurelo Melencion, 38, and Virgilio Amihan, 29, both residents of Sitio Lasang, Barangay Panghagban in Buenavista.

In a report, police indicated that both suspects shot at forces of the BPPO Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) using sub-machine guns as they were about to serve an arrest warrant against Melencion at his home.

The warrant was dated August 30, 2007 and issued by Judge Irma Zita Masamayor, presiding judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 52 in Carmen.

Police operatives led by PIB chief Sr. Insp. Jojit Mananquil then reportedly returned fire hitting both Melencion and Amihan.

Melencion sustained four bullet wounds in his left chest, rib, shoulder and hip while Amihan was hit once in his shoulder with no exit wound.

According to Mananquil, they were able to recover a KG9 sub-machine gun and a grenade from Melencion, while Amihan was in possession of an Uzi submachine gun.

Both suspects were believed to have been sorting illegal drugs prior to the shootout, said Mananquil.

However, the operatives were no longer able to search Melencion’s house as the brief firefight took place several meters away from the suspect’s residence. (WM)