'Pusher' killed, 9 others nabbed in SoCot anti-drug ops

GENERAL SANTOS CITY--A suspected drug pusher was killed while nine others were arrested in separate anti-drug operations on Monday night and early Tuesday in Polomolok town and Koronadal City, South Cotabato province.

Supt. Marvin Duadua, public information officer of the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office, said Tuesday that suspect Allan Subillaga was gunned down by police operatives in an encounter in Purok 2, Barangay Crossing Palkan in Polomolok at around 1:30 a.m.

The police official said Subillaga's unidentified companion, who was driving a motorcycle, managed to escape. The operatives rushed the suspect to a nearby hospital but was declared dead upon arrival by attending doctors.

Recovered from the scene were a caliber 38 pistol reportedly owned by the slain suspect, two caliber 38 live bullets and two spent shells, nine spent shells of a 9mm handgun and P500 marked bill used in the buy-bust.

On Monday night, elements of the Polomolok municipal police station arrested eight suspects in two buy-bust operations in Barangays Pagalungan and Magsaysay that yielded around P300,000 worth of supected shabu.

Senior Insp. Ludovico Rendaje, deputy chief of the Polomolok municipal police station, said they initially arrested suspected pushers Erwin Uy, 31; Dexter Sausa, 21; and, Jerwen Love Valenzuela, 18, in a buy-bust at the vicinity of Spring Hill Resort in Pagalungan.

He said the suspects yielded a pack of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P100,000.

He said their three other alleged cohorts identified as Cedric Sobresante, 19; Raymond Espulgar, 30; and Honey Dizon, 19, were nabbed in a rented room at the resort, where around P200,000 worth of shabu was found.

In another buy-bust operation at a gas station in Barangay Magsaysay, Rendaje said their operatives arrested suspects Elmer Larado, 19, and Jessie Marcos, 32, after selling a sachet of suspected shabu worth P500.  

In Koronadal City, agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Region 12 arrested a high-value target identified as Ian Baysa, 30, in a buy-bust along the national highway in Barangay Zone 4 at around 9:30 p.m. Monday.

Recovered from the suspect were two large packs of suspected shabu weighing around 55 grams and valued at P375,000, as well various drug paraphernalia. (PNA)