1 killed, 9 nabbed in raid of suspected drug den in Davao Oriental

TAGUM CITY — A person was killed while nine others were arrested following a police raid on a suspected drug den in Mati City, Davao Oriental on Saturday night, police on Sunday said.

Senior Supt. Harry Espela, Davao Oriental police chief, said that Aljid Palma succumbed to gunshot wounds after he allegedly shot it out with lawmen inside his house in Sitio (Sub-village) Magsaysay, Barangay (Village) Central around 7:15 p.m.

Espela said the incident happened as elements of the Mati City police station, Davao Oriental police and the Southern Mindanao regional intelligence division, were to implement a search warrant against Palma and his wife Delma, both considered high-value targets in Mati.

“Upon the entry of the raiding team to his house, Mr. Palma pulled a handgun, fired at the police but missed,” Espela told Inquirer in a text message. The lawmen then fired back and hit the suspect, Espela said.

He was brought to the nearest hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival by attending physicians, the police official said.

The slain suspect’s wife and eight others were arrested during the operation.

Espela said police recovered at the house of the suspects two cal. 45 pistols loaded with live bullets, one box of ammunition for cal. 22 pistol, five big and seven medium-sized sachets of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) and several pieces of drug paraphernalia. JE