4 arrested in Caloocan drug bust

A Filipino-Chinese trader, his live-in partner and two male companions were arrested after a drug buy-bust conducted by Caloocan police went awry and led to a shootout in Dagat-Dagatan, Caloocan City yesterday afternoon.

Nabbed after an hour and a half armed confrontation was Modesto Brito, 35, a coco lumber merchant, residing at Unit 1 G Tahanan Apartments, Tilapia street, Dagat-Dagatan, Caloocan; Alex Chua, 34, Brito’s godbrother (kinakapatid) of the same address and Brito’s friend Manuel Torres, 43, of Fifth Avenue, Caloocan City. The three are detained at the Caloocan police detention center.

Brito surrendered to Northern Police District-Internal Affairs Service chief, Superintendent Edgar Paulino, after talking to the latter over a cellphone. The suspect was apparently known to the officer who dissuaded SWAT operatives from further firing at the suspect.

Brito’s live-in partner Vivian Reposo, 21, was still being treated for shock at presstime in the Manila Central University Hospital.

Reposo slumped to the ground fronting their residence at the first volley of automatic rifles of the police.

Kagawad Tess Chua of Barangay 22, Zone 2 where the shootout happened, said a policeman told her earlier the suspect was being tracked for suspected shabu trafficking and had fired at them when the suspect became suspicious. – Jerry Botial