CEBU CITY — A suspected member of a gun-for-hire group was killed in a shootout in Barangay Bayong, Balamban town, western Cebu.

Authorities identified the deceased as Paulino Tribunalo Cordezar.

The operation, which took place on Tuesday at around 10:40 a.m., also resulted in the arrest of his relative and alleged accomplice, Jovel Tribunalo Villegas.

Cordezar and Villegas faced multiple murder charges and were involved in alleged gun-for-hire activities and marijuana cultivation. The Regional Trial Court in Toledo City issued a warrant for their arrest on Oct. 20, 2022, for violating RA 10591, with a fixed bail of P150,000.

When police arrived at Sitio Capayawan in Barangay Bayong, Cordezar, who was in a tent, noticed them and opened fire with a KG9 submachine gun which led to a shootout.

Cordezar was wounded during the exchange and was later found with the KG9 firearm, two long magazines, and 40 live rounds of ammunition.Medics administered first aid and transported him to Balamban hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Police captured Villegas in a nearby hut, approximately 200 meters from Cordezar's tent.

They recovered a caliber.45 pistol with a magazine containing three live rounds, 50 live rounds of ammunition, a homemade 7.62mm handgun, and about one kilogram of dried marijuana, valued at P120,000 by the Dangerous Drugs Board.