THE Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) has recorded its second case of killed “nanlaban” drug suspect for this month, following the death of a suspected drug personality in a buy bust operation in Balulang, Cagayan de Oro City on Wednesday, August 22.
Police anti-drug operatives killed a certain Abdul Wahab who allegedly fought back during the operation. The suspect has a standing arrest warrant for murder issued last year.
Initial investigation disclosed that Wahab fired his gun at the operatives after sensing that he was dealing with the police. However, the bullet went astray and hit no one.
The suspect ran inside his house and picked a hand grenade forcing the police to shoot the suspect before the latter could pull the pin.
Members of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) from the city hall tried to save the suspect but failed.
Authorities recovered a hand grenade, three pieces of fired 9mm cartridge, a 38 caliber revolver and two sachets of suspects methamphetamine hydrochoride, known as shabu.
The Cocpo insists that its members were only protecting themselves from imminent danger posed by the armed suspect.
In its statement, the Cocpo said police officers in the city always respect human life by adhering with the police operational procedures during operations.
"Since the suspect poses danger to the lives of our troops we have nothing to do except to retaliate and neutralize the suspect even if it may end up inflicting injury or death," Cocpo said.
"Cocpo can assure that this will not happen again. But, as long as there are threats to our personnel during operation, the same situation might happen again,"it added.
Meanwhile, a retired policeman in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental was arrested by the police and anti-narcotics agents on Wednesday, for illegal possession of firearms and possession of dangerous drugs.
Arrested was Sofronio Mirontos, 63, who yielded some P136,000 worth of suspected shabu.
The suspect was the number 9 target drug personality in the said province.
Through a court order, authorities searched the suspect's house and seized a caliber 45 pistol, a 357 magnum revolver, a fragmentation grenade and several ammunition.
The suspect will face drugs and illegal possession of firearms charges.