LUCENA CITY – An alleged bigtime drug pusher in this city was killed in a pre-dawn raid here on Tuesday, police said.
Senior Supt. Rhoderick Armamento, Quezon police director, said police swooped down on the hideout of Jerry Causapin, 44, alias “Pugto,” in Barangay (village) Cotta at about 12:30 a.m.
Instead of peacefully surrendering, Causapin opened fire at the lawmen, Armamento said.
A firefight erupted and Causapin died on the spot, the official added. None of the policemen were hurt.
Police recovered a .45-caliber pistol from the slain suspect as well as 11 small plastic sachets of “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) weighing 21 grams worth P38,000.
Armamento said the operation was supposed to be a buy-bust.
“But when we learned that the target has long been wanted for drug pushing, the team decided to arrest him but he resisted and fought back,” he said.
Police said the suspect had a standing warrant of arrest issued by the Regional Trial Court in Lucena City on drug charges. He was on the police drug watch list as a major supplier of shabu in Cotta and nearby areas. CBB/rga