BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The prime suspect in the brutal killings of four members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 7 in Negros Oriental more than a year ago was killed in a shootout with the police in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, yesterday.
PNP chief, Gen. Debold Sinas, identified the suspect as Ryan Sandag Manguilimutan, with aliases of James and Ignacio, who had a pending arrest warrants for four counts of murder, and theft, issued by Bais City Regional Trial Court Judge Rosario Carriaga.
Sinas said Manguilimutan died in a shootout during a joint intelligence operation of the PNP Special Action Force, PNP Intelligence Group, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, National Capital Region Police Office, and the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office at Gen. Kalentong, Daang Bakal, Mandaluyong City.
2013 RECRUIT
He said Manguilimutan was recruited to join the New People’s Army in 2013, and became a member of the Regional Strike Force of the Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor in 2016.
Two years after, he became a regular member of the Central Negros Front 3 of KR-NCBS, Sinas said.
Manguilimutan, with six NPA members and supporters, waylaid and murdered the four RMFB 7 troopers, who were conducting information gathering in Brgy. Mabato, Ayungon, Negros Oriental, and took their firearms, on June 18, 2019, the police said.
Sinas also said that a 9mm Canik pistol, that was issued to one of the four slain troopers with three magazines containing 39 ammunition were among the items recovered from Manguilimutan. Policemen also recovered a brown sling bag containing his personal belongings, and four empty shells of a 9mm, at the crime scene.*
