Iloilo pushers slain as Bato dares cops to kill in war on drugs

ILOILO CITY, Philippines—Police gunned down a drug pusher in Iloilo as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa was challenging policemen if they were ready to kill in the fight against illegal drugs.

Another suspected pusher was gunned down on Thursday evening just hours before Dela Rosa’s visit to Camp Martin Delgado, the Western Visayas police headquarters.

Policemen shot dead Welner Gomez around 10:50 a.m. Friday during a buy-bust operation in Barangay (village) Jibao-an in Pavia town after he allegedly fired at operatives from a composite team involving the municipal, provisional and regional police office.

Gomez was brought to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival by physicians.

Police recovered a .45-caliber pistol and sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu.”

Four companions of Gomez were arrested. They were identified as Francis Al Tijam, Mary Grace Padernal, Yannah Gabio, and Lester Lope.

Gomez was considered a “high-value target” and allegedly a member of the Prevendido drug group, according to a report of the Police Regional Office-Western Visayas.

At about the time the operation was being conducted, Dela Rosa was challenging policemen to pursue the war against illegal drugs.

READ: Dela Rosa to Western Visayas cops: ‘Are you willing to kill?’

“Are you ready to die? But first of all, before dying, are you willing to kill? This is what is important,” he said in a speech at a ceremony marking the 115th anniversary of the PNP.

Just 13 hours earlier, around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, policemen gunned down Elpidio Geroy at Jereos Street in La Paz District in Iloilo City.

Geroy, a former convict, also allegedly fought back in a buy-bust operation. Police operatives arrested his companion Kristoffer Paredes.

Police said a .45-caliber pistol and suspected illegal drugs were  recovered from Geroy. RAM/rga