2 suspected drug pushers killed in separate Iloilo buy-busts

Shabu: More drug pushing suspects are killed during buy-busts over the illegal drug. (CDN FILE PHOTO/Christian Maningo)

ILOILO CITY — Police shot dead two alleged drug pushers in separate buy-bust operations in Iloilo on Monday.

Panfilo Artuz Jr., 46, allegedly fired a handgun and attempted to throw a grenade at policemen at his house in Barangay Malitbog Centro in Calinog town in Iloilo at about 3:45 p.m.

Senior Insp. Bonifacio Alabe Jr., Calinog police chief, said Artuz ran inside his house as policemen, one who acted as a buyer, tried to arrest him. He then fired a .38-caliber revolver before he was shot and hit in the shoulder.

Alabe said Artuz was able to pull out the primary pin of the grenade before he was repeatedly shot by policemen.

He died from six gunshot wounds but it took more than an hour before police were able to retrieve his body as members of a military explosive and ordnance disposal unit had to secure the grenade.

Police also recovered 14 sachets of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride), a digital weighing scale and a 12-gauge homemade shotgun.

Artuz was considered a “high-value target” because he operated in the town of Calinog in Iloilo and the neighboring Tapaz town in Capiz, Alabe said.

A policeman also shot dead Freddie Sumbing inside a room at the RBR Beach Resort in Barangay Sto. Niño Norte in Arevalo District in Iloilo City around 9:40 p.m.

Sumbing, 30, allegedly pulled out a hand grenade from his pocket as a policeman who acted as a buyer was about to arrest him. This prompted another policeman to shot him six times, according to Insp. Jose Val Ladublan, Arevalo police chief.

Sumbing died from six gunshot wounds including three in the chest.

Police also recovered three sachets of suspected shabu.

Sumbing was not on the watch list of drug pushers, said Ladublan.  SFM

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