A SUSPECTED drug pusher was killed in a shootout with the police in Barangay Cambanay, Danao City yesterday dawn.
Senior Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos, the city police chief, identified the suspect as Herbert Caputol. His cohort, a certain Niño, escaped.
Batobalonos said that their operation was not a buy-bust, as the anti-drug operations were already suspended.
He said Caputol was included in their list of suspected pushers who also allegedly engaged in a series of robberies in the city and other northern Cebu towns.
Caputol also surrendered during Oplan Tokhang last year, but reportedly did not stop his allegedly illegal activities.
Danao City is known to be the center of operations of suspected drug lord Alvaro “Barok” Alvaro, who is now detained at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Cebu City.
Police Regional Office 7 Director Noli Taliño defended the lower unit’s action, saying it was legitimate.
“Lumaban na man sa pulis, so napatay ng pulis (He fought the police, so he got killed by the police),” he said.
Before the shootout happened past 3 a.m., the police station received a report about the presence of two armed men in the city proper.
The Theft and Robbery Section personnel went to the area. After noticing the cops, the suspects boarded on their motorcycle and fled.
Police gave chase. The suspects, having nowhere to go, started to shoot.
The operatives retaliated, hitting Caputol in different parts of his body.
Seized after the shootout were a .38 revolver loaded with two bullets and four empty shells.