Drug suspect killed after Bato suspends anti-narcotics operations

Shabu. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

SAN PEDRO CITY — Hours after Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa abolished all police anti-narcotics units and suspended all antidrug operations, policemen in Rizal killed a drug suspect in an alleged shootout.

Members of the Rizal Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Force (AIDSOTF) shot dead Tamano Hajie Casan, 44, of Barangay Silangan, San Mateo town, after he allegedly tried to ambush the lawmen.

According to a police report, the AIDSOTF members had just come from a lunch meeting when Casan allegedly attacked them in Barangay Silangan at about 2:30 p.m.

Casan, who was reportedly driving a red Toyota Vios, suddenly blocked the policemen’s car and opened fire.

The lawmen had “no recourse but to retaliate,” the report said.

Casan was killed instantly.

The police said they recovered a .45-caliber pistol and three small plastic bags of suspected “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) from his car.

The incident happened about six hours after Dela Rosa abolished all AIDSOTF and other police antidrug units in the country, including the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG).

Dela Rosa announced the dismantling of the antidrug units during the flag-raising ceremony in Camp Crame on Monday morning.

He also suspended all antidrug operations as he declared a shift to a campaign to rid the police force of scalawags. CBB/rga