Man nabbed, cousin shot, hurt in buy-bust

CEBU, Philippines - Police shot and injured a man who tried to defend a suspected drug pusher who was eventually nabbed in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Antipolo, Medellin on Saturday morning.

Rodelio Rustia, 27, was wounded to the chest while his cousin Erlindo Booc, 35, was arrested despite Rustia’s attempt to help him escape by pointing a gun at the police.

Senior Police Officer 3 Rolan Reyes of Medellin police said police officers led by station chief Senior Inspector Christopher Ras Fernandez rode on an ambulance and proceeded to the area at around 11 a.m. after supposedly sealing a transaction with Booc.

Booc was allegedly included in the police’s list of drug personalities.

“Kay kung ang patrol, di magsilbi. Ini’g abot sa lugar ‘nya makit-an nga nagdanga-danga ang patrol, sibat na,” Reyes said.

One of the police officers acted as poseur-buyer and tried to buy packs of shabu worth P400 from Booc.

When the transaction was consummated, the poseur buyer signaled the police officers inside the ambulance to come out.

The police swooped down on the suspect in order to arrest him, but Rustia, who was with Booc, took a submachine gun and pointed it to the police officers.

Fernandez, sensing imminent danger upon seeing his men being targeted by Rustia shot the suspect once, hitting him to the chest.

Rustia was taken to Cebu Provincial Hospital in Bogo City and was later transferred to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City where he is now being confined.

Apart from the buy-bust money, the police recovered a pack of shabu and the firearm with ammunition from Rustia.

Confiscated from Booc’s possession were 10 small packs of suspected shabu and several drug paraphernalia. He is now detained at Medellin Police Station.

Both suspects will be facing charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 while Rustia will face an additional case for violation of the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunitions.  (FREEMAN)