Alleged drug pusher slain in Quezon police operation

LUCENA CITY — Police killed a still unidentified suspected drug pusher after he grabbed the service firearm of an operative in Candelaria town in Quezon province on Sunday night, police said.

A team of anti-illegal drugs operatives spotted the suspect, tagged by the police as new distributor of “shabu” (crystal meth), in Barangay (village) Malabanban. Sur around 8 p.m. Sunday, Colonel Audie Madrideo, Quezon police director, said in a report.

Policemen accosted the suspect but instead of surrendering, he reportedly grabbed the caliber 9 mm firearm of Staff Sergeant Samuel Merluza and fired at the cop while running away to escape but missed his target.

Backup policemen returned fire and repeatedly shot the escaping suspect, hitting him.

The suspect died while being taken to Candelaria District Hospital at the town center. Merluza, who sustained minor injuries during the scuffle for his gun, was also treated at the said hospital.

Authorities allegedly seized from the body of the slain suspect 14 plastic sachets of shabu. The total weight of the haul was not reported. /je