DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 March) – Two more drug suspects died in separate buy-bust operations in Toril District here before dawn Tuesday, after they allegedly resisted arrest, a police official said.
This brought the number of fatalities to seven since Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte declared a “war” on illegal drugs last March 22. He issued a warning “to kill drug suspects if they do not stop or leave the city.”
Capt. Hazel Tuazon, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson, said that drug suspect Elisado “Lupin” Paquibot, a resident of Rasay street, Toril Poblacion, died in a joint buy-bust operation conducted by the police and personnel from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Davao around 12:50 a.m. in Purok 7, Barangay Bato in Toril District.
She said that an armed confrontation with authorities ensued after Paquibot allegedly resisted arrest, resulting to his death.
Police recovered from him several sachets of suspected shabu with an estimated value of P12,396, and a .38 revolver.
Three hours later, another drug suspect, identified only by his alias “Ninin,” died after also allegedly resisting arrest during a joint anti-drug operation conducted by the police and personnel of PDEA-Davao at 3:45 a.m. in Barangay Kilate, Toril District.
Tuazon said the drug suspect drew and fired his gun after sensing that he was transacting with a police personnel acting as a buyer, prompting the agent to fire back that resulted in the suspect’s “neutralization.”
Police recovered from the suspect’s possession four sachets of suspected shabu weighing 6.1 grams with an estimated value of P97,600 and a .38 revolver.
Based on data from the DCPO, the police arrested a total of 17 drug suspects in 21 buy-bust operations conducted from March 22 to 26.
Tuazon said that police confiscated 202.64 grams of shabu and 60.36 grams of marijuana with an estimated combined value of P1,385,195.20. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
