COTABATO CITY, Oct. 15 -- Two armed men were killed and three government forces were injured during a shootout that erupted while serving warrants of arrest in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte at about 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Lt. Col. Esmael Madin, Datu Odin Sinsuat municipal police chief, identified the fatalities as Samsudin Usman, alias Krega, who was one of the most wanted persons in the province and reportedly a member of the extremist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and a certain Piong.

Usman died on the spot, while Piong died on the way to the hospital. Usman's son, Barry, was arrested during the operation.

Wounded were Capt. Sammy Panig, deputy chief of the Datu Odin municipal police, as well as Corporal Marson Q...