ANOTHER drug suspect in Tagoloan town in Misamis Oriental died for allegedly resisting arrest in a drug bust in Zone 1, Buguak, Barangay Sta. Cruz in Tagoloan on Tuesday night, August 16.
Senior Police Officer 4 Tawide Galleon, chief investigator of Tagoloan Municipal Police Station identified the suspect as Joey Taca-taca, 32, one of the drug personalities in the area who submitted himself to police during “Oplan Tokhang” (Toktok-hangyo or knock and plead).
Initial investigation showed that Taca-taca was also the suspect in the killing of Zaldy Dimaporo last August 15.
Dimaporo was believed to be Taca-taca's associate in illegal drugs trade.
Galleon said Taca-taca stabbed his partner several times for a misunderstanding over the share of the illegal drugs.
"Gidagan dayon ni Taca-taca ang bag nga nagsulod ug unom ka sako nga shabu. Naa dayon intelligence nga kadto daw nga shabu gi-recycle niya, so we decided to conduct a buy-bust operation against him," Galleon said.
Taca-taca, however, died with two gunshot wounds on his body.
Galleon said authorities were compelled to shot Taca-taca because the suspect pulled a grenade from his pocket and threatened to pull the safety pin.
"Before siya maka-cause ug damage sa katawhan, amo nalang siyang gipusil kay na-alanganin man kita," he said.
It was also learned that Taca-Taca has a pending warrant of arrest issued last year for violation of the Republic Act 9262 or Violence Against Women and Children filed by his live-in partner.
Galleon said Taca-Taca was a known suspect of theft and snatching in the area.
Recovered from the suspect's possession were the grenade, drug bust money worth P200, and four sachets of alleged methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as "shabu."
On July 16, alleged drug peddler Melvin "Alo" Tadeo was shot dead for resisting arrest in Tagoloan.
The same thing happened to Crisanto Albarizo Flores, 35, a self-confessed drug pusher was also gunned down by police for resisting arrest on August 3.
About 16 drug-related killings have been reported in Tagoloan, two of which occurred during police operations and 14 under investigation to identify suspects.
The Provincial Board is set to conduct probe on the drug-related killings in the province.