2 drug suspects killed, 2 nabbed in Danao buy-bust

Fatal drug bust (RADYO INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ JONG MANLAPAZ)

CEBU CITY — Two suspected drug pushers were killed while two others were arrested in a buy-bust operation on Monday in Danao City, about 48 kilometers north of here.

Killed on the spot were Leomar “Omar” Espina, who was the target of the buy bust, and his companion, Rosipio Mandugas.

The police arrested Antonio Laum, 23, a resident of Barangay Baring in Carmen town, Cebu; and Andre Gimeno, 32, a resident of Barangay Sabang, Danao City.

Senior Insp. Alejandro Batobalanos, Danao police chief, said Espina and Mandugas were on the list of drug personalities in Danao who refused to surrender during the Oplan Tokhang, a police campaign that urged drug users and peddlers to surrender and change their ways.

When the two realized that their buyer was an undercover policemen, Batobalanos said the two ran toward Espina’s house and from there, shot at the police.

Laum and Gimeno were at the hut near the house and were arrested.

Police recovered from the suspects one medium pack of shabu, a .357-revolver, four live ammunition and two empty shells of a .38-revolver, P5,000 in cash used as buy-bust money and P800 in cash believed to be proceeds of their illegal drug trade.

Laum and Gimeno were believed to be habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) drivers and were regular buyers of Espina.

Police recovered one sachet of shabu from Laum and Gimeno.  SFM