Pusher killed in Misamis Oriental shootout

MANILA, Philippines - A suspected drug pusher was killed in a shootout with anti-narcotics agents during a buy bust operation in Misamis Oriental, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said on Friday.

 

PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. identified the suspect as Lani Matabalao, 29, of Zone 5, Barra, Opol, Misamis Oriental. 

 

Belated reports said that. Matabalao was shot by agents of the PDEA Regional Office 10 and Opol Municipal Police Station after he opened fire at the lawmen after sensing the drug transaction last Wednesday had gone wrong in Vamenta Subdivision, Barra, Opol, Misamis Oriental.

 

Matabalao, after handing over sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, to an undercover PDEA agent in exchange for the marked money, saw other lawmen approaching, prompting him to open fire at the agents who returned fire.

 

He was brought to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physician.

 

Seized from Matabalao were three sachets of shabu, weighing approximately eight grams with an estimated value of P64,000, a Magnum 357 revolver with three pieces of live ammunition and two fired cartridges inside the revolving chamber, a black ammunition belt with three pieces of live ammunition, assorted drug paraphernalia and the P500 buy-bust money.

 

The pieces of drug evidence were brought to PDEA RO10 laboratory office for forensic examination, while the recovered firearm was brought to Philippine National Police crime laboratory for ballistic examination.