Drug suspect dead after shootout

CEBU, Philippines — An alleged drug personality, who is also an ex-convict and a former barangay councilman, died after he set his own house on fire refusing to surrender to policemen and shooting it out with them yesterday, March 21, in Sitio Boloc-boloc, Barangay Sangat, San Fernando town, Cebu.

The deceased was identified as Jay Casta ares, of legal age, and a resident of the said area. He was also said to be a feared drug personality and gun-for-hire who was previously convicted for several murder cases in Carcar City and the City of Naga.

Based on the initial investigation by the San Fernando Municipal Police Station, it was learned that around 9 A.M. Casta ares shot gulaman vendor Emilio Mi oza Sabroso who was just peddling his wares in Sitio Boloc-Boloc on his motorcycle.

Sabroso, of legal age and a resident of Barangay Greenhills of the same town, was shot multiple times including in the head and killed instantly.

Acting on the report, operatives from the municipal police immediately went to the scene where a witness said Casta ares had shot Sabroso.

When the police went to the suspect's house where he was hiding, Casta ares resisted and shot at them, causing a standoff. By this time, other police units had also responded to the incident like the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, Naga City Police Station, Carcar City Police Station, and Regional Mobile Force Battalion-7 (RMFB-7).

During the exchange of gunfire, one of the operating team members identified as Patrolman Kim Villariasa of the RMFB-7 was shot in the chest. He was quickly brought to the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City for medical treatment.

After around five hours of stalemate, Casta ares set his house on fire for unknown reasons while still refusing to surrender. The fire spread rapidly and engulfed the entire house. While he was later found dead inside, investigators aren t yet sure what killed him.

Police immediately requested for assistance from the San Fernando Bureau of Fire Protection to respond to the fire.

As of this writing, the Scene of the Crime Operations team from Cebu Provincial Field Unit 7 was still processing and investigating the crime scene after the fire was extinguished.

The end of the tense standoff served as a great relief to residents of the said area. (CEBU NEWS)