Cop, drug suspect slain in Bulacan shootout

MALOLOS, Philippines — A police officer and a suspected drug trafficker were killed in an alleged shootout following a sting in Norzagaray, Bulacan yesterday morning.

Police Officer 3 Ronaldo Legaspi died while being treated at the Ospital ng Lunsod ng San Jose del Monte while Rolando Padura, alias Jay Ar, 32, died at the scene.

Legaspi suffered four gunshot wounds in the abdomen and chest, according to Senior Superintendent Romeo Caramat Jr., director of the Bulacan police.

Padura reportedly pulled out a gun after sensing that he was dealing with an undercover agent during a sting in Barangay Tigbe.

Padura reportedly shot Legaspi, who posed as buyer, triggering a firefight.

Probers recovered a .45 caliber pistol, six plastic sachets said to contain shabu and bullet shells from the scene of the firefight.

Drug surrenderee shot dead

Meanwhile, in Ilocos Sur, a butcher who surrendered under Oplan Tokhang in 2016 was shot dead by motorcycle-riding assailants in Vigan City on Saturday. 

Emil Javier Ramos was on another motorcycle when he was killed at around 10:30 a.m. in Barangay Ayusan Sur.

Police said the assailants could have been tailing Ramos, who was declared dead on arrival at the Saint James Hospital.

Probers recovered three bullet shells for a .45 caliber pistol at the crime scene. 

Police have yet to determine the motive for the killing.

On the same day, three alleged drug den operators were arrested in Cotabato City.

Suspects Arbaya Balilia, Guinid Mohamad Lumabao and Mariam Lumabao are facing charges for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, according to Juvenal Azurin, director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The suspects were arrested in their hideout in Barangay Bagua III by a joint team of the PDEA and Cotabato City police. 

Balilia’s alleged cohorts, identified as Boyet Sinsuat and Benji Omar managed to escape as authorities were approaching the village. – With Raymund Catindig, John Unson