CAMP GEN. MALVAR, Batangas City – Two suspected illegal drug peddlers were killed in a shootout with police operatives during a buy-bust operation Monday night in Barangay Don Luis, San Jose, Batangas.
Batangas provincial police director Senior Supt. Edwin Aguilan Quilates said the suspects, identified as alias “Tiong” and an alias “Jojo,” were killed after allegedly resisting arrest and trading shots with arresting law enforcers.
Quilates said the San Jose Municipal Police Station operatives, led by its chief of police, Chief Insp. Virgilio M. Jopia, were able to buy three sachets of suspected shabu during the buy-bust operations around 11 p.m. on Aug. 27.
However, the two suspects sensed they were dealing with a policeman posing as buyer. Suspect alias “Jojo” immediately drew his firearm and shot the undercover agent and fled with "Tiong" towards the town of Ibaan, Batangas.
Police chased the duo and a firefight ensued along the San Jose-Ibaan road in Barangay Don Luis.
As the smoke cleared, the two suspects were killed and sprawled on the ground, where authorities found a hand grenade next to alias Tiong’s body while alias Jojo was seen still holding the caliber .38 revolver.
Members of the Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) were dispatched for technical investigation of the incident. (Jojo C. Magsombol/PNA)
