CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines – A suspected drug trafficker was killed while another was arrested following a shootout with police officers in San Pascual town, Batangas, Friday.
Rudy Bereno, 49, died at the scene while his companion Ghil Garcia, 24, was arrested following a firefight that broke out at around 7:30 a.m. in Barangay Alalum, said Senior Inspector Manuel Maligaya, San Pascual police chief.
Maligaya said prior to the shootout, six police officers went to the house of Rommel Lopez to serve a search warrant.
Bereno reportedly shot at the police officers, triggering a firefight that lasted 15 minutes.
Lopez and his group were reportedly in the watch list of the local police, said Senior Superintendent Omega Jireh Fidel, Batangas police director.
Seized from Bereno were a caliber .45 pistol and an undetermined amount of shabu. Lopez was not around during the raid.