Drug suspect dead in Bukidnon buy-bust op

MALAYBALAY CITY -- A drug suspect was shot and killed by police operatives after a buy-bust operation in the Bukidnon town of Lantapan over the weekend.

Police claimed that the suspect, 19-year-old Aldrin Marcelino, opened fire first on the police that prompted the latter to fire back.

Marcelino succumbed to six  gunshot wounds in the body and was declared dead on arrival at the Bukidnon Provincial Medical Center here.

An initial police report said Marcelino, who was in the police drug watch-list, fired at the operatives when he realized that he was transacting with police officers acting as poseur-buyers.

The Internal Affairs Service of the Police Regional Office in Region 10 (PRO-10) said it is investigating the deaths of suspected drug personalities during police operations in the region.

Data from the PRO-10 showed that from January to August this year, a total of eight drug suspects have been killed in anti-illegal drug operations in Northern Mindanao. At least six of the casualties were recorded in Misamis Oriental.

Meanwhile, the Scene of Crime Operatives (SOCO) said they recovered from Marcelino's possession a fragmentation grenade, a caliber .357 Smith & Wesson revolver without serial number, and several handgun cartridges. They said they also recovered five sachets of suspected shabu, and the P1,000 buy-bust money.

Police said Marcelino had been implicated in the series of robbery incidents in Lantapan town. (PNA)