IN THE LINE OF DUTY. Bemedaled police officer, Staff Sgt. Ryan Baculi was killed while posing as undercover in an anti-narcotics sting operation in Barangay Kinasang-an, Cebu City after midnight Wednesday (Nov. 15, 2023). The police are now conducting a hot pursuit against the two suspects identified as Atong Rafols and Ramil Salazar, both known drug personalities in Cebu City. (Photo courtesy of PRO-7)
CEBU CITY – A bemedaled police officer was shot and killed during a drug sting operation, a police official said on Wednesday.
Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, Police Regional Office-7 spokesperson, said Staff Sgt. Ryan Baculi, a member of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit-7 based in Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr. here, was killed when two drug suspects shot him several times during a buy-bust operation.
“He was awarded a lot of times in previous (operations) because of his heroic actions. Now, today, he has paid the ultimate sacrifice,” Pelare told reporters during a press conference at PRO-7 headquarters.
Police are now hunting down the suspects, identified as Atong Rafols and Ramil Salazar alias “Namol”.
The police also vowed to take care of the family of the slain police officer.
Rafols and Salazar are known drug personalities in the area and were the subject of RDEU-7’s sting operation at Sitio Pagtambayayong in Kinasang-an village after midnight on Wednesday, with Baculi acting as the poseur buyer.
Initial investigation disclosed that the suspects sensed they were transacting with a policeman, and immediately shot Baculi several times.
Baculi was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
According to Pelare, Baculi’s buddy, who was in position several meters away, shot at the suspects, injuring Rafols. Still, the two suspects were able to escape.
“It’s automatic that we will review what happened and (to determine) if there was a deviation from police operational procedure,” Pelare said, citing the need for an investigation to check if the current policy requires improvement.
Despite what happened, he assured the public the police in the region would not back down in their fight against illegal drugs, stressing however the need to be more cautious in dealing with drug personalities. (PNA)
