31-year-old killed in PDEA shootout

CEBU, Philippines - A 31-year-old man and not a minor was shot and killed in an encounter with agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Pulangbato, Cebu City on Wednesday.

PDEA-7 director Jeffrey Bangsa identified the fatality as Roland Limpag alias Dagul, of Barangay Guba, not a 15-year-old boy who was earlier reported to have died in the said encounter.

The FREEMAN managed to get a copy of Limpag’s death certificate from Sto. Niño de Cebu Funeral Homes in Mambaling, Cebu City showing that he died at 2:25 p.m. on Wednesday of cardiopulmonary arrest.

 The antecedent cause of Limpag’s death is a traumatic brain injury and the underlying cause is a gunshot wound as stated in the death certificate signed by the emergency room physician of North General Hospital, and the informant was Limpag’s sister Genalyn Leyson.

Limpag was killed when he and companion Jovanni Papas allegedly opened fire at the PDEA agents, who were trying to arrest their cohort Randel Miñosa.

Miñosa, who reportedly sold a pack of shabu to a poseur-buyer, fled after sensing that he was transacting with law enforcers.

“Sensing na may operation na mangyayari they started shooting the attacking elements, which prompted the operating team to return fire,” Bangsa explained.

Bangsa said they noticed that Limpag and Papas were injured and brought them to North General Hospital while the rest of the team pursued Miñosa.

Reswin Leyson, who was present during the raid, was also arrested.

Bangsa identified Miñosa as a “sub-group leader of drug personalities in Cebu and in neighboring places” and had been a subject of operations of other law enforcement agencies.

He added that Limpag is Miñosa’s right hand assistant, based on the information they have gathered.

 “Di na man natin gusto na nagkamali tayo sa suspects. Based sa video na nakuha natin, ang grupo nila ang nagpapatakbo sa lugar nila,” Bangsa said.

The PDEA-7 director said they are willing to face any charges should Limpag’s family file a case against them, saying that as law enforcers, they are already used to it.  (FREEMAN)