EVIDENCE. The confiscated pieces of evidence from a drug suspect who was killed in a shootout with the police in Barangay Sibul, Talavera, Nueva Ecija on Wednesday (June 16, 2021). The suspect was identified as Marcelino Avila, of the town's Barangay Homestead 2. (Contributed photo)
TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija – A suspected drug peddler was killed in a firefight with police operatives after allegedly selling over PHP100,000 worth of shabu to an undercover lawman in Barangay Sibul here on Wednesday.
In an interview on Thursday, Lt. Col. Heryl Bruno, acting municipal police chief, identified the suspect as Marcelino Avila, of Barangay Homestead 2.
Bruno said an undercover policeman managed to buy from the suspect 17.5 grams of suspected shabu placed in three packs.
“But the suspect might have sensed he was dealing with a policeman thus fired a handgun to operatives who retaliated to defend themselves," he said.
Besides the drugs, forensic investigators also recovered a .45 caliber pistol, cellphone, the motorcycle used by the suspect and marked money.
Bruno said the operation was in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the provincial police's drug enforcement and intelligence units. (PNA)
