Pusher resists arrest with grenade, lands in hospital

CEBU, Philippines - A suspected Level 2 drug pusher landed in the hospital after he was shot by police when he pulled out a hand grenade to resist arrest during an operation in Tuburan town last Friday night.

Police Officer 2 Roland Duran told The Freeman that the policemen were forced to shoot Jonald “Empoy” Calaunan, 25, when the suspect pulled out the grenade and pull the safety pin off before cops could get near him following a sale to a poseur buyer.

Calaunan was hit on his thigh but he dropped the grenade to the ground. Luckily, the grenade landed on mud, which lessened the impact of the explosion, but it was enough to injure a bystander, Jiosias Jugan, 30, in the neck and left shoulder.

Duran said the team carried out the buy-bust operation at past 5 p.m. and the poseur-buyer bought a pack of shabu worth P300 from Calaunan successfully right outside the suspect’s house. A signal was made but Calaunan pulled the grenade out.

Calaunan was brought to the Tuburan District Hospital but was transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.  

Policemen recovered a big pack of suspected shabu and six other medium-sized packs from Calaunan’s house.

They also recovered drug paraphernalia and P400 cash believed to be proceeds of the sale.

Calaunan will be facing three different charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, for violation of the Comprehensive Law on Weapons and Ammunitions and Direct Assault. 

OTHER ARRESTS

Meanwhile, a different team confiscated 38 small packs of suspected shabu during separate anti-drugs operations in Cebu City, Liloan and Aloguinsan also on Friday.

In Cebu City, police seized 20 packs worth an estimated P4,000 and P600 cash from Neil Arda when they enforced a search warrant at his house in Barangay Guadalupe.

In a separate operation, Johnry Manayon, 25, was apprehended for possession of illegal drugs and paraphernalia in Barangay Suba.

Elements of the San Nicolas Police Station confiscated a plastic pack of suspected shabu, one strip of aluminum tin foil, an improvised tooter, one paper wick and a disposable lighter from him.

In Liloan town, police arrested Juan “Ging-Ging” Pepito Jr., 39, and Alvin Pilapil, 33, during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Tayud. Police recovered three small sachets of suspected shabu and a plastic container from Pepito while they confiscated two small packs of suspected shabu, P200 buy-bust money and a black pouch from Pilapil. The two are detained at the Liloan Police Station.

In Aloguinsan, police arrested Ceferino Saraum, 40; Marvin Manlubay, 18; Gilbert Aguilar, 36; and Manolito Rivera, 31.  A small pack of suspected shabu, one cal. 357 magnum revolver, four live ammunition of cal. 357 and one live ammunition of cal. 38 were seized from Saraum who was the subject of the operation. — /JMO (FREEMAN)