3 die, 1 arrested in NoCot, S. Kudarat drug ops

COTABATO CITY -- Three suspected drug pushers were killed while another was arrested in separate anti-drug operations in Central Mindanao, the police regional office said Wednesday.

Brigadier Gen. Alfred Corpus, director of Police Regional Office -12, said the police anti-drug operations were carried out following reports that drug personalities continued with their illegal activities amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis.

In Midsayap, North Cotabato, police killed in a shootout Wednesday morning drug suspect Ziedfrey Nicole Aceboque Echevarria, 27, following an entrapment operation in Barangay Poblacion 8.

“The suspect sensed he was dealing with poseur-buyer and pulled out an Uzi machine pistol and opened fire at the arresting team,” Corpus said.

Echevarria was hit in the exchange of gunfire and was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

Recovered from the suspect were the Uzi machine pistol with live bullets, six sachets of suspected shabu, PHP500 marked money, and a motorcycle.

Police records indicated that Echevarria was listed as a high-value target in the inter-agency drug information database of the police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

On Tuesday, police also engaged and killed in a shootout a drug personality in Barangay Inas, M’lang, North Cotabato.

Corpus said suspect Jeric Dapudong Fuentespina, 27, was dealing with a poseur-buyer around 2:30 p.m. and was to be arrested when he ran away while firing at the pursuing lawmen.

“Fuentespina failed to reach the hospital alive following a shootout,” the police official said.

Recovered from the suspect were the PHP500 marked money, 10 packets of suspected shabu, and a home-made 9mm pistol.

Also on Tuesday, policemen engaged in a shootout drug suspect Joel Vicelles Miñoza, 49, in Barangay Aurelio F. Freires Sr., Lebak, Sultan Kudarat during a drug sting operation.

The suspect was transacting to a police poseur-buyer around 10 a.m. when he suddenly drew his gun and opened fire at the police back-up team.

“The policemen fired back, hitting the suspect,” Corpus said adding that the latter died at the hospital where he was rushed.

Recovered from the scene were one .45-caliber pistol, four sachets of suspected shabu, and the PHP500 marked money.

Subsequently, at about 2:30 p.m. of the same day, another drug suspect, identified as Rezel Caro Amar, a 31-year-old female, also of Barangay Aurelyo Freires Sr. in Lebak, was nabbed in an entrapment operation.

Recovered from her possession were the marked money, five sachets of suspected shabu, and drug paraphernalia. (PNA)