Another alleged drug pusher slain in Lucena buy-bust

LUCENA CITY – Another suspected drug pusher was slain when he resisted arrest in a buy-bust operation in this city around noontime Thursday, police said.

Anti-illegal drugs operatives arrested Edilberto Pacheco, 33, after he sold P370 worth of “shabu” (crystal meth) to a police agent inside his house in Barangay (village) Ibabang Dupay at 10:40 a.m., Lucena police chief Supt. Reydante Ariza said in a report.

But as the police officer was arresting him, the suspect reportedly resisted and pushed the lawman.

The report said the suspect then slammed a door, grabbed a firearm of an unknown caliber and shot the policeman but the gun jammed. Another policeman immediately retaliated and shot the suspect who died on the spot.

The suspect was included in the police drug watch list. Concerned citizens tipped off the police about his illegal activities, police said.

Pacheco was the third suspected drug pusher who died in anti-drug operations in this city this week. On Monday and Wednesday, two alleged drug pushers were also slain in separate operations in the coastal village of Dalahican./lb