TWO men, one in Naga and one in Cordova, died in police operations last Tuesday in connection with the campaign against illegal drugs.
Police said they seized an estimated P4 million worth of shabu from Carlito Jabonillo, whom they described as a Level 2 street pusher in Lagtang, City of Naga.
A separate team shot Joselito Oporto Coca after he allegedly tried to shoot a police team during a buy-bust in Barangay Bangbang, Cordova last Tuesday morning.
In the Naga case, Jabonillo, 39, was killed after he allegedly attempted to fight operatives of the City of Naga Police Station outside his house in Sitio Mohon, Barangay Lagtang around 5 p.m. last Tuesday.
Police also arrested Jabonillo’s girlfriend, Emily Alinsonorin, whom they found inside his house.
While she denied that she was involved in illegal drugs like Jabonillo was, Alinsonorin admitted that she had often used shabu with her boyfriend.
Supt. Gregorio Galsim, City of Naga police chief, said that they conducted an operation in Barangay Lagtang after receiving reports of Jabonillo’s activities there.
During the operation, Jabonillo reportedly sensed the local police and started firing at them. Officers fired back and Jabonillo sustained numerous gunshot wounds.
Jabonillo was immediately brought to the Minglanilla District Hospital but died before arriving at the facility.
After the firefight, police said they recovered 10 medium packs containing 400 grams of suspected shabu worth P4.1 million.
Aside from the drugs, police also recovered a .45 caliber pistol and illegal drug paraphernalia from the crime scene.
In a separate interview, Alinsonorin denied that she was involved in her boyfriend’s alleged illegal drug activities.
She told Sun. Star Cebu that just before the shootout, she was bringing fresh fish and coals after Jabonillo told her he planned to grill some fish for dinner.
Alinsonorin, a mother of five, said she had known Jabonillo for a month by the time she discovered that he was on drugs. She said she had wanted to leave Jabonillo but he refused to break up with her.
The suspect reportedly threatened to shoot her if she tried to leave him.
Alinsonorin admitted she was a drug user before but she surrendered to the local police through Oplan Tokhang.
In the case in Bangbang, Cordova, it was a team led by Senior Insp. Clemente Ceralde Jr., the town police chief, that ended up shooting Coca.
Before the operation at 7:20 a.m., police said they confirmed the suspect’s involvement in the drug trade after surveillance.
The 24-year-old pushing suspect had surrendered to the police in the past, but allegedly returned to selling shabu in the neighborhood.
Coca reportedly pulled out his gun after he noticed he was dealing with an undercover cop, who pretended to be a junkie.
Other operatives waiting in the perimeter shot the suspect.
After he was hit in the body, police rushed him to Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital, but Dr. Nollie Cortez declared him dead on arrival.
Seized from the suspect were nine sachets and a medium pack containing white crystals believed to be shabu, a .45 pistol, seven bullets, an empty shell, two magazines, a pouch, a wig and the three P100 bills used in the buy-bust.
The shabu weighed 5.43 grams and would have fetched P60,273 in street sales, based on values estimated by the Dangerous Drugs Board value.
At 1 p.m., on the same day, alleged drug peddler Renante Toco Aniñon was caught in a buy-bust in Barangay Poblacion, Sibonga.
Police confiscated P2,478 worth of shabu from the suspect, who will face complaints for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.