Drug buy-bust in Samar: Ex-soldier/musician dies in shootout

CATBALOGAN CITY, Philippines — A local musician, who was a former member of the Philippine Army here, was killed in a shooting incident with the police during a buy-bust operation at Pier 1, Barangay 6 in this city Wednesday evening.

The police identified the slain suspect as Albert Julaton, a resident of P5 Canlapwas of this city.

Police said the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Task Group conducted a buy-bust operation against Julaton at around 10pm at Pier 1 in front of a grocery store.

Julaton apparently realized later that he had sold a sachet of “shabu” to a policeman, who acted as poseur buyer, and sensing further the presence of other policemen in the area, he immediately fled with his motorcycle eastward along Curry Avenue.

The suspect was however cornered by chasing policemen at P2 of Barangay 7, and this prompted him to allegedly draw a gun. The police had to open fire to neutralize him.

The wounded Julaton was rushed to the Samar Provincial Hospital after the shootout, but he was declared dead-on-arrival due to several bullet wounds.

Based on the spot report of the City Police, Julaton was among the new drug personalities in the updated list of the authorities, based on the information gathered from those who earlier yielded under the Oplan Tokhang.

Police at the scene were able to recover a .45-caliber pistol loaded with six live bullets, two deformed slugs, six fired cartridges, a brown sling bag, P3,753 cash including the P1,000 marked money, two sachets of shabu, a cellular phone and a motorcycle. (FREEMAN)