Drug bust nearly ends in shootout between cops

CEBU — A drug bust in Lapu-Lapu City nearly turned into a bloody shootout between policemen from different units, sparking an immediate investigation by an angry regional police director.

The near-shootout happened when a Lapu-Lapu policeman allegedly intervened in the anti-drug operation of the maritime police Thursday night.

The policeman allegedly drew his caliber .45 pistol and aimed it at PO1 Napoleon Taneo, a member of the maritime police. This prompted Taneo to aim his gun at him, too.

The tension was defused after the policeman’s colleague pulled him away.

Maritime police chief Sales Zaragoza said the policeman was with a group of men drinking nearby when he intervened in the drug bust.

Zaragoza identified the policeman as a certain PO3 Gario Dano. But Chief Inspector Ranulfo Sebusa, the team leader of the operation, said Lapu-Lapu police chief Paquito Belandres later told him that it was another lawman by the name of PO3 Leodegario Ibano. — Freeman News Service