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Police kill suspect linked to 2015 SAF 44 Mamasapano clash

A man wanted for his alleged involvement in the deadly 2015 Mamasapano incident was killed in a police shootout in Maguindanao del Sur. The suspect, described as a gun-for-hire and drug personality, died during enforcement of an arrest warrant on Sunday.

LSN Philippines · 24 August 2026

COTABATO CITY — Police killed a suspect connected to the 2015 Special Action Force encounter in Mamasapano during a law enforcement operation in Maguindanao del Sur on Sunday morning. The Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region said the man was wanted in connection with the clash that claimed dozens of lives nearly a decade ago.

The suspect, identified as a notorious gun-for-hire and alleged drug trafficking figure, was shot dead during a firefight as officers moved to serve an arrest warrant at his location. Police Regional Office-BAR spokesperson Capt. Steffi Salanguit confirmed the operation and the suspect's death.

The January 2015 Mamasapano incident resulted in significant casualties and remains a sensitive chapter in the Philippines' counterinsurgency efforts in Mindanao. The killing of the suspect marks another development in ongoing investigations related to the clash.