(Eagle News) — Two people–including Caraga’s most wanted person—died in an encounter with police on Sunday, Jan. 31, the Philippine National Police said.
According to the PNP, Jelfin O. Cotic a.k.a Jerome and Jolan O. Cotic a.k.a Jodan Cotic/Dandan were killed after they shot it out with policemen who were about to serve warrants for their arrest in Barangay Caatihan, Boston, Davao Oriental.
Caraga Regional Director, Police Brigadier General Romeo M. Caramat Jr. said the suspects had been indicted for murder and attempted murder by Acting Presiding Judge Sharon Rose Saracin of RTC Branch 7, 11th Judicial Region, Baganga, Davao Oriental.
Jelfin, also the most wanted person in Region 13 in the second quarter of 2020, the PNP said, also had another outstanding warrant of arrest for murder issued by Presiding Judge Merlyn B Pacaro-Cañedo, RTC Branch 29, 11th Judicial Region, Bislig City, Surigao del Sur.
The PNP said the suspects were members of the Kapatiran (Umali/Cotic) Group, a Directorate for Intelligence-listed Private Armed Group (PAGs) engaged in gun-for-hire, illegal logging, and extortion operating in Surigao del Sur and Davao Oriental, and were involved in the killing of John Consegra Tuba a.k.a Dodoy, also a member of the Kapatiran.
They were also involved in the shooting of Special Action Force troopers and one Arnel Liwanan Salomon along with other DENR personnel during the recovery and retrieval of illegally cut logs in Barangay Bugac, Lingig, the PNP said.
The suspects were arrested in 2019 for frustrated murder, but the case was dismissed due to lack of sufficient evidence and an affidavit of desistance from the victim.
The PNP said recovered from Jelfin were one M16 rifle and one 9mm pistol while another M16 rifle was recovered from the house of Jolan, approximately 370 meters away.