Albay’s top man on drug watchlist killed in buy-bust

LIGAO CITY, Albay- A village chief who was also the number one on provincial police drug watchlist was killed when he engaged policemen in a gunfight during a buy-bust operation here on Wednesday evening, police said Thursday.

Chief Inspector Arthur Gomez, Albay police spokesperson, said suspect Orlando Rolda, village chief of Paulog, was the target of a buy-bust operation around 6:15 p.m. in his own house.

Sensing that it was a buy-bust, the suspect went inside his room, took his .40 caliber handgun and opened fire at the police, prompting the police operatives to return fire. Rolda was killed instantly due to multiple bullet wounds.

A policeman was also hit but he was not wounded since he was wearing a bulletproof vest, Gomez said.

Gomez said Rolda was number one on the Albay police drug watchlist and was among the illegal drug pushers that voluntarily surrendered under the Philippine National Police’s Oplan Tokhang.

Police records indicate that Rolda was also facing criminal charges for trying to kill his former girlfriend Myra Enaje with a caliber .45 gun in front of a resto bar in Magsaysay Avenue in Naga City, Camarines Sur on March 2015.