Google map of Kabacan, North Cotabato.
COTABATO CITY – Two suspected drug personalities were killed after engaging law enforcement authorities in a shootout during separate buy-busts in Kabacan, North Cotabato, on Monday.
Lt. Col. Lino Capellan, speaking for Police Regional Office -12, said Tuesday that in both instances, the suspects resisted arrest and fired at policemen that resulted in the shootouts.
Around 11 a.m., Capellan said members of the Kabacan police, backed by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 12, set an entrapment operation for Edmar Doctolero Lebag, 31, of Mantawil Street, Purok Kapayapaan, Barangay Poblacion, Kabacan.
“After the exchange with the poseur-buyer, Lebag saw the police back-up team approaching and immediately pulled out his gun and opened fire, prompting the lawmen to fire back,” Capellan said.
He said Lebag was seriously injured in the exchange of gunfire and did not reach the hospital alive. Recovered from the suspect were the PHP500 marked money, a .45-caliber Remington pistol, and nine pieces of suspected shabu sachets.
Some three hours later, police did another drug sting in Barangay Katidtuan of the same town. Police officers were about to pounce on Aljen Catalan Tabosares, 27, of Barangay Katidtuan, when he resisted arrest and also pulled out a handgun.
“The suspect shot the poseur-buyer first but missed, prompting the rest of the arresting team to shoot him,” Capellan said.
Tabosares was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival by doctors. Seized from him were nine pieces of shabu sachets, the PHP500 marked money, and a homemade Uzi submachine pistol.
Capellan said both suspects were listed as high-value targets in the inter-agency drug information database of both police and PDEA-12. (PNA)
