1 hurt, 3 nabbed in Quezon police anti-illegal drugs operations

LUCENA CITY – A suspected drug pusher was wounded in an alleged shootout with policemen while three others were collared during buy-bust operations in Candelaria town in Quezon province Sunday night.

A report from the Quezon police headquarters said John Patrick Barleta, 18, fired at a team of anti-illegal drugs operatives in Barangay (village) Bukal Sur around 10 p.m. but policemen consequently hit Barleta on his leg as they returned fire.

Authorities arrested Barleta and his cohort, a 16-year-old boy identified thru his alias, “Erwin”, after the two sold crystal meth or shabu to a police agent.

Police said the shootout started when Barleta tried to escape arrest by shooting at operatives. Police seized a caliber .9mm pistol from the suspect.

The suspects also yielded nine grams of shabu with an estimated street market value of P40,590.

Earlier, policemen also arrested Edezon Pasamba Rodriguez, 49, and Nilo Limaco Navarro Jr., 30, in separate buy-bust operations. The two suspects yielded two sachets of shabu weighing less than a gram each, police said. /kga