Samar jail guard in illegal drug trade killed in shootout

PALO, Philippines—A provincial jail guard in Basey town in Samar was killed in a shootout following a buy-bust operation on Saturday morning.

Aristotle Fernandez, who was detailed at the sub-provincial jail in Basey, allegedly put up a fight when anti-narcotics policemen tried to arrest him in Barangay (village) Buscada, Basey, about 10:45 a.m.

The buy-bust operation was conducted by the drug-enforcement teams of Samar and Basey police, said Chief Inspector Bella Rentuaya, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office for Eastern Visayas.

She said the jail guard had been classified as a high-value target by the Samar police, adding that several sachets of shabu were recovered from the suspect following the shootout. Robert Dejon, Inquirer Visayas /ra