2 drug suspects killed in Maguindanao ‘shootout’

COTABATO CITY , Philippines —  A drug suspect and his companion were killed while two police officers and a Marine soldier were wounded in an alleged shootout in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte on Wednesday.

Police identified the fatalities as Samsudin Usman and his aide Piong Mindo.

Reports said that members of the Datu Odin Sinsuat police were serving an arrest warrant on Usman in Barangay Semba when the suspect and his companions allegedly fired at the officers, triggering a shootout.

Capt. Samy Paning, municipal police deputy chief, and his companions Cpl. Marson Quijano and Marine Pvt. Alex Bajoyo were wounded in the shootout.

Usman’s other companions fled, but one of them, identified as Barry Usman surrendered to the police.