Drug pusher eludes arrest

An alleged high level drug pusher and a companion escaped arrest after creating trouble in a videoke bar by engaging police in a gun battle in barangay 4, Tuburan town yesterday dawn.

The videoke bar owner telephoned the police after alleged drug pusher Jefferson Gallarde, of legal age, and Rolando Bariga, 29, beat up a customer who was drinking alone.

Deputy police chief Lino delos Santos said that the suspects noticed the approaching policemen, PO3 Raul Jamero and PO1 Abita Sarsuelo, and started firing at the lawmen as they fled.

The policemen returned fire and kept chasing the two men all the way to barangay 6 but Gallarde and Bariga used the dark for cover to elude arrest.

The following morning, the police arrested Bariga while he was taking a walk in barangay 6.

Tuburan police chief Crisanto Duque said Gallarde is also known in the area as a bully.

He alleged that Gallarde sells fish to conceal his real means of livelihood. Duque said the police raided his house last September but failed to catch him. - Flor Z. Perolina