A SUSPECTED pusher was killed in a drug bust in Barangay Hilasgasan, Barili town, southwestern Cebu on Saturday noon, June 25, 2022.
Police identified the fatality as Giovanni Cañete Estrada, a resident of Hilasgasan.
During the drug bust, Estrada reportedly noticed he was dealing with a police officer who pretended to be a customer past 11 a.m. Saturday. He then drew his revolver, but the operatives of the Barili Police Station shot him when he was about to aim at the police officer who acted as the buyer.
The operatives called for medical assistance from the Barili Rural Health Unit but there was no available physician. A team from the Scene of the Crime Operation (Soco) arrived in the area at 12:30 p.m. Saturday to gather evidence and process the scene.
Recovered from the scene were 15 plastic sachets containing what the police believed as shabu. The contraband weighed 10.65 grams with a street value of P72,420. Other evidence recovered were the marked bills amounting P500 used by the police in transacting with the suspect, cash amounting P800 believed to be the suspect’s proceeds from the illegal drug trade, and drug paraphernalia.
The inventory of evidence was done in the presence of Barangay Hilasgasan officials. The sachets were turned over to the Crime Laboratory.
Barili Police Station Chief Maj. Janus Giangan led the drug bust against Estrada, and his team coordinated the operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas.
Estrada’s body was brought to a funeral home in Carcar City for autopsy but his family refused.