Self-confessed drug pusher shot dead in Mandaue City

CEBU CITY, Philippines—A self- confessed drug pusher was killed in an alleged shootout with authorities during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City on  Thursday morning.

Marcelino Ferolino was one of the many drug pushers who surrendered to the police during the Oplan Tokhang in Barangay Subangdaku but had not stopped selling the illegal substance despite making a promise to do so.

When the police confirmed that Ferolino continued peddling illegal drugs, a buy-bust operation was drawn up.

About 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, Ferolino met  with an undercover policeman who was to buy a sachet of shabu from him, said Senior Insp. Narciso Abapo, Subangdaku precinct police chief.

During the transaction, Ferolino saw his buyer making a signal to someone.

Realizing it was a sting operation, Abapo said Ferolino then pushed the undercover policeman and pulled out a gun to shoot him. When the gun didn’t go off, other policemen shot him in the chest, killing him on the spot.

The police recovered 19 small plastic sachets of “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrocholoride) worth P15,700, one revolver with three bullets and the P200 of marked money.

Abapo said Ferolino, who was on the watch list of drug personalities, was the third drug suspect in Mandaue  killed in a police operation this month. TVJ/rga