A drug suspect was killed while eight others were arrested as police officers conducted separate buy-bust operations in Valenzuela and Quezon City on Monday.
PO3 Antonio Apis, one of the police officers involved in the operation in Valenzuela City, was wounded after their target, Allan Trongkoso, shot him in the arm.
Trongkoso, however, was killed after he was shot in the chest and shoulder by SPO1 Roberto Santillan who responded after his colleague was wounded.
Records showed that Trongkoso was the third drug suspect to be killed in police operations in Valenzuela City after the President brought back the Philippine National Police into the government’s war on drugs.
Posing as a buyer, Apis tried to buy sachets of “shabu” (crystal meth) from Trongkoso around 6:30 p.m. on Monday in Balubaran, Barangay Malinta.
Trongkoso, however, apparently sensed that he was dealing with a police officers and drew a .38-caliber pistol. He shot Apis but Santillan came to his colleague’s aid and shot the suspect twice, killing him.
Courier for bigtime supplier
Trongkoso was believed to be a courier for a bigtime drug supplier in the city, according to Senior Insp. Jose Romeo Hizon, Valenzuela police investigation unit chief.
Recovered from the suspect were nine sachets of shabu and the firearm used to shoot Apis.
In Quezon City, eight people were arrested, including a pregnant woman and three minors, in separate drug busts on Monday.
A joint operation conducted by the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Barangay Pasong Tamo resulted in the arrest of Elmerson Balleras, 28 and his partner, Josephine Lumayog, 34, who was seven months pregnant.
Batasan and Talipapa police officers said they were known drug peddlers in the area.
Also arrested were Benjamin Rios, Almario Bernardino and a 17-year-old boy who were having a pot session nearby.
Another operation conducted by members of the QCPD Special Operations Unit, along with the District Drug Enforcement Unit, led to the arrest of two 17-year-old boys who were allegedly working with a female drug suspect.
The teenagers were caught with Christine Molina, 28, at the Congressional Apartelle on Congressional Road. Authorities recovered 15 grams of shabu valued at around P75,000 from the group.
Minors won’t escape liability
Chief Insp. Ferdinand Mendoza, chief of the QCPD drug enforcement unit, said the two teens would undergo inquest proceedings although they were minors.
“The social worker will determine their act of discernment while in the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development,” Mendoza told the Inquirer.
“In the event that the evaluation or examination yields positive results, then the criminal cases against the minors will continue,” he said.