Ex-Sorsogon town administrator killed in anti-drug operation

LEGAZPI CITY — Anti-narcotics operatives killed a former Matnog town administrator who resisted arrest during an anti-illegal drug operation in Sorsogon City on Sunday morning, a report reaching the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Bicol said.

The slain suspect Edgar Gardon, who was tagged by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as a high-value target (HVT) drug personality operating in Sorsogon province, was the subject of the warrant of arrest that brought PDEA agents and police to his rented unit at Balay Dormitoryo in Montreal Street in Barangay (village) Talisay at 7:15 a.m., Senior Inspector Maria Luisa Calubaquib, Bicol police spokesperson, said.

Calubaquib said the arresting team was also armed with a search warrant and raided the apartment unit.

She said the suspect resisted arrest and pulled out an unidentified handgun, prompting the policemen to fire at him. Gardon was killed instantly.

Christian Frivaldo, PDEA regional director, in a phone interview said initial report revealed the anti-narcotic team recovered in the suspect’s room several handguns, including a sub-machine rifle.

Frivaldo said the suspect reportedly had a connection with Peter “Jaguar” Lim, among the top drug lords operating in the Visayas and Mindanao region.

He said the suspect was a former Matnog town administrator during the term of former Mayor Emilio Ubaldo. /je