Trike driver gunned down in Davao drug bust

DAVAO CITY — Police shot a tricycle driver, allegedly moonlighting as a drug peddler, during a buy-bust operation here early on Saturday.

Benjamin Dimalen, alias Boy Muslim, died upon arrival at the Southern Philippines Medical Center due to gunshot wounds, following a shootout with lawmen in San Rafael village at 4:30 a.m..

Chief Insp. Jason Baria, Southern Mindanao Police Office spokesperson, said elements of the San Pedro police precinct carried out the buy-bust operation against the 29-year-old pedicab driver at his house in Duhwa, Barangay 9-A San Rafael.

However, when the policemen were about to arrest him, the suspect allegedly pulled a caliber .45 pistol and opened fire, prompting an officer to shoot him.

A red pouch containing two big sachets, a medium-sized sachet, and three small sachets of suspected shabu (crystal meth) were recovered from the suspect, according to Baria.

He said estimated street value of the seized illegal drugs to reach P30,000.

Police also recovered the P500 bill used as marked money in the transaction as well as the slain suspect’s handgun and its magazine containing five rounds of ammunition.

Baria said Dimalen was also involved in armed robberies targeting Indian moneylenders. /ee