ANOTHER police official in the illegal drugs watchlist of President Rodrigo Duterte was killed on Monday evening, November 5, when he allegedly fought it out with his fellow officers during a drug bust in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte.
The slain officer was identified as Superintendent Santiago Ylanan Rapiz, who was the logistics officer of the Zamboanga del Norte Police Provincial Office.
His death brought to nine the number of erring police officers killed amid the Philippine National Police’s intensified campaign against scalawags, particularly those involved in illegal drugs transactions. He was the third officer killed in Zamboanga City.
Senior Superintendent Romeo Caramat Jr., Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF) commander, said the drug bust was conducted by the CITF personnel in coordination with the local police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in front of Andres Bonifacio College Gymnasium in Dipolog City at 7:40 p.m. Monday.
Caramat said Rapiz sold illegal drugs to a poseur buyer. The operation turned into an armed encounter when Rapiz sensed that he was dealing with another police officer.
Recovered from Rapiz was at least 125 grams of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) amounting to over half a million pesos and a caliber .45 pistol.
Caramat said Rapiz was formerly assigned in Western Visayas or Region 6 but was transferred to Zamboanga City due to his alleged involvement in illegal drugs.
Rapiz was on the drugs watchlist of President Rodrigo Duterte. He was also allegedly the protector of Iloilo businessman Melvin Odicta, an alleged drug lord.
“Based on our information, he was one of the drugs protector of Odicta drug syndicate when he was assigned in Region 6 and allegedly he was receiving P700,000 weekly in Region 6 from different drug personalities in Region 6,” said Caramat.
“His name came out as drug protector when several high value targets (HVT) were arrested by PDEA. During police interrogation, his name came out as drug protector of these arrested HVTs that is why he was included in the PRRD list,” he added.
Caramat said Rapiz owned several houses and vehicles in Bacolod City, his hometown.
Other police officers killed in anti-narcotics operations were Senior Inspector Raymond Hortezuela, who was killed in a CITF operation in Mandaue City, Cebu; Police Officer (PO) 2 Gemmo Meneses, who was killed by police operatives in Morong, Rizal; PO3 Marco Hashim Alegre, who was killed in a drug bust in Occidental Mindoro; and PO2 Ian Rey Abitona, who was killed in Infanta, Quezon.
Police Officer (PO) 3 Ronald Bernardo and PO2 Maria Oliver Olaso were killed during a drug bust in Barangay Ayala in Zamboanga City. (SunStar Philippines)