Drug suspect killed in Manila buy-bust

A drug suspect who was the target of a buy-bust operation died in an encounter with Manila Police District (MPD) authorities at Sampaloc, Manila on Monday morning.

Reports from the MPD stated that Rechie Inocencio, 32, from Domingo Santiago Street in Sampaloc, Manila, transacted with undercover police along a Philippine National Railway (PNR) track near Paltoc Street in Barangay 428.

Prior to the operation, the MPD said that an informant told the Sampaloc Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit that rampant buying and selling of illegal drugs in the barangay, particularly shabu, was led by Inocencio.

Upon validating the report, MPD police planned an entrapment operation.

The informant and the undercover cop approached the suspect to purchase the illegal drug, but when they gave the signal to back-up operatives, the suspect allegedly sensed that he was transacting with the police and fired at the two.

The suspect missed the pair, prompting operatives to return fire, hitting Inocencio.  He was rushed to the Ospital ng Sampaloc but was declared dead on arrival.

Investigators found two P100 bills used as marked money and five sachets of shabu — one of which was purchased by the cop — from the slain suspect.  The .38 caliber revolver used in the incident, three live ammunition, and one fired cartridge were also recovered.

The pieces of evidence were turned over to the MPD’s Crime Laboratory Office for examination. /je