PDEA Albay chief hurt in shootout with ‘drug pushers’

LEGAZPI CITY—The head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority (PDEA) in Albay and a female bystander were wounded in a shootout between government agents and suspected drug pushers along Rizal Street in the port district of this city on Thursday evening.

PDEA Albay chief Arnel Estrellado was on board a government vehicle with other antidrug agents and an alleged drug pusher they had just arrested when they were attacked at around 8 p.m. by two armed motorcycle-riding men, leading to the shootout, said Supt. Renato Bataller, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police in Bicol.

Stray bullet

Estrellado was hit near the right armpit while Gina Sinforosa, a native of Manito, Albay, who happened to be passing by the area was hit by a stray bullet on her right shoulder, said Bataller.

Estrellado was rushed to the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH) while Sinforosa was initially brought to the Aquinas University Hospital but was later transferred to BRTTH.

Stable condition

Estrellado was declared in stable condition but remained under observation as the bullet that hit his armpit was still embedded in his body. Sinforosa was also declared out of danger.

Bataller said the shootout took place following a drug buy bust operation by joint teams of the PDEA and the city police, where a suspected big time drug dealer, identified as Ronald Lateral, 38, of Barangay Sabang of this city, was arrested at a road leading to the Embarcadero Mall.

Sachets

Seized from Lateral were two sealed plastic sachets containing white powder believed to be shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride), totaling 10 grams and with a street value of P60,000.

The PDEA team led by Estrellado and Lateral were on board a red Toyota Innova car and were negotiating Rizal St. in Barangay 27 when they were ambushed by the motorcycle-riding tandem believed to be members of a drug syndicate operating here, according to Christian Frivaldo, PDEA deputy regional director.

Tandem

“The drug operatives were on their way to the PDEA headquarters to book Lateral when the motorcycle-riding tandem overtook their service vehicle with one of the tandem firing his handgun that led to a brief firefight,” Frivaldo said by phone.

The attackers immediately fled.

Lateral was detained at the PDEA detention cell. Frivaldo said Lateral is a drug distributor operating in this city and is in PDEA’s drug watchlist.

Barangay Sabang, where Lateral lives, is a known haven for illegal drug pushers and users, said Frivaldo.  Aside from Barangay Sabang, the list of illegal drug hotspot in Legazpi City includes Barangays Pigcale, San Roque, Oro Site and Cruzada, he revealed.