Drug suspect killed in shootout with police in Lipa City

BATANGAS CITY—A suspected illegal drug trader was killed in a shootout with policemen in Lipa City in Batangas province on Monday morning, police said.

Supt. Barnard Danie Dasugo, Lipa City police director, said the suspect, identified only as “Glenn,” died when he and a companion, identified only as “Big Ben,” engaged policemen in a gunfight in Barangay (village) Lodlod at 12:30 a.m.

Dasugo said police had planned a sting operation against the suspects but the latter asked for a change of venue near a convenience store in San Sebastián village, also in Lipa.

“The suspects could have sensed that they were transacting with policemen. A chase ensued, leading to the village of Lodlod,” Dasugo said.
The suspects, he said, fired at the pursuing policemen. The lawmen fired back, hitting Glenn.

Police said Glenn died instantly while his companion escaped on a motorcycle.

Recovered from the crime scene were a .45 cal. pistol, a coin pouch containing nine sachets of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) and a mobile phone.

The confiscated illegal drugs, weighing a total of 45 grams, were worth P531,000, said Dasugo.  SFM