Alleged drug pusher shoots down village exec in Batangas

SAN PEDRO CITY — A village councilor in Batangas City was shot and killed allegedly by a man tagged as an illegal drug pusher in their barangay (village).

The victim was identified as Jorge Almarez, a councilor in Barangay Bolbok.

Batangas city police chief Lt. Col. Julius Añonuevo, meanwhile, identified the suspect as Gilbert Acuña.

In a phone interview Sunday, Añonuevo said the village officials had long suspected Acuña of illegal drug pushing.

In fact, the officials were in the process of verifying reports from the community for the possible inclusion of the suspect on the village’s watchlist of illegal drug personalities.

“Allegedly, it was Almarez who [submitted] the information [that Acuña was into drug dealings],” Añonuevo said.

He said that around 7:45 p.m. Saturday, Almarez came across Acuña in a drinking session in the village.

The two had argued shortly before the suspect allegedly drew his gun and shot Almarez several times.

Almarez died while being taken to the St. Camillus de Lellis hospital.

Añonuevo said manhunt operations continued Sunday to track down the suspect.

Edited by JE