An alleged high ranking officer of New People's Army (NPA) was killed ias he resisted being served an arrest warrant in Butuan City on Wednesday morning, a military spokesman said Thursday.

Lt. Col. Ezra Balagtey, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Eastern Mindanao Command spokesman, said the fatality was Manuel Magante alias Jino and Saldo, the finance officer of the Regional Operations Command of NPA in the tri-boundary of Davao-Caraga- Northern Mindanao Regions.

He said Magante also heads the intelligence special operations group of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) of the NPA.

Balagtey said Magante was killed at the vicinity of Rosales St., Brgy. 15, San Ignacio, Butuan City around 11 am.

"Magante was killed when he resisted and fought with the AFP-PNP Inter-Agency Team who were about to serve warrants of arrest against him for the crimes of Robbery with Homicide (CC Nr. 5762) and Robbery (CC Nr. 5718) issued by Executive Judge Hilarion P. Clapis Jr. of the 11th Judicial Region, Branch 3 of Nabuturan, Davao de Oro," he said.

Balagtey said Magante was involved in numerous atrocities targeting military personnel and civilians which include the murder of Datu Ruben Labawan in 2015; abduction of Jail Warden Coquilla of Compostela in 2015; and the abduction and murder of Loreto, Agusan del Sur Mayor Dario Otaza and his son Darryl Otaza in Butuan City last 2015.

He said Magante is said to be involved in disarming the peace and oeder personnel of Brgy. Mahungcog, Magpet in 2016; and burning of construction equipment in Brgy. Callawa, Davao City in 2018.

Balagtey said government forces recovered one cal .45 pistol, one magazine for cal .45 pistol; seven rounds of cal .45 ammunition; one XLR 200 Honda motorcycle, one unit Nokia cellphone; and one Lenovo laptop. Robina Asido