Macabuat Jabay was killed when he reportedly tried to shoot at arresting lawmen.
“Our police were about to implement a search warrant against (Jabay) when he pulled a gun and tried to shoot the officers,” said Senior Supt. Harry Espela, Davao Oriental police chief.
Jabay was wounded and was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival, he added.
According to Espela, Jabay was a “high-value target” tagged as the top shabu distributor in Mati and neighboring towns.