Drug suspect killed as he lobbed grenade, shot cops during Cotabato drug bust

COTABATO CITY—-Police here killed a suspected drug pusher who shot and tossed a hand grenade at law enforcers during a drug bust on Wednesday (Feb. 19).

Capt. Erickson Bona, chief of the city police’s Drug Enforcement Unit, said suspect Justin Kasuyo, 35, was about to be arrested around 4 p.m. when he pulled out a pistol and fired at approaching policemen. As he ran, he lobbed a grenade that failed to explode, however.

He was caught handing over a sachet of shabu, or crystal meth, to an undercover agent at the village of Rosary Heights 10. It was the signal law enforcers were waiting for to make the arrest.

Kasuyo died from multiple gunshot wounds. Two police officers hit by Kasuyo during the gunfight wore bullet proof vests and were saved.

Five other suspects were arrested—one believed to be helping operate a drug den in a shanty and four suspected patrons of the den.

Bona said Kasuyo had been on the police’s drug watch list and under surveillance for some time before the drug bust.

Last Friday (Feb. 14), an alleged drug pusher in the town of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao province was arrested by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives in a sting operation.

Juvenal Azurin, PDEA chief for the Bangsmoro region, said Nadzmie Ameril, alias Samir, was arrested as he handed over 500 grams of shabu, or crystal meth, to an undercover agent.

Azurin estimated the street value of the seized drugs at P3.4 million.

PDEA agents were backed by town policemen and soldiers from the 90th Infantry Battalion.

Edited by TSB