‘Ninja cop’ killed in drug buy-bust in Dipolog City

A police officer was killed in a buy-bust operation by agents of the Counter-Intelligence Task Force of the Philippine National Police (PNP-CITF) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Monday night.

Supt. Santiago Rapiz was killed in the operation launched at Andres Bonifacio Compound in Dipolog City, a report from the PNP-CITF said Tuesday.

Initial investigation revealed that the suspect sensed that he was transacting with an undercover agent after receiving the buy-bust money worth P50,000.

Police said he tried to flee but was cornered by the officers.

Rapiz allegedly drew a gun and fired at the operatives, who then returned fire.

Recovered from the scene were 112.13 grams of “shabu” worth P785,000 and a .45-caliber pistol allegedly used by the suspect.

Rapiz, who was a logistics officer of the Zamboanga del Norte Police Provincial Office, was on the government’s list of “ninja cops” or policemen involved in recycling or reselling illegal drugs seized in police operations, according to police.

The CITF also said that an affidavit from a certain Ricky Sereno, a drug personality in Negros Occidental, revealed that the suspect was one of his protectors. Rapiz allegedly received P700,000 weekly from Sereno as protection money.

Police further said that Rapiz was active in the illegal drug trade during his stint as a police officer in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City.

He also allegedly served as the protector of Melvin Odicta, the alleged leader of the Odicta Drug Group in Iloilo City.

The CITF said Rapiz was active in the trade in his latest assignment in Zamboanga del Norte. /cbb

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