ILOILO City – Two drug personalities were killed in separate police operations in Jaro district and Oton, Iloilo.
One of them is the 39-year-old Emerson Herrera. He died of gunshot wounds on the different parts of the body, a police report showed.
Herrera allegedly sold a sachet of shabu to an undercover officer from Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) for P4,000 around 10 p.m. on Friday in Barangay Poblacion West, Oton.
PDEU head Chief Inspector Jonathan Pinuela said Herrera tried to evade arrest by firing at the poseur-buyer.
This prompted PDEU’s assault team to shoot back, added Pinuela.
Herrera was brought to the Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao where he was pronounced “dead on arrival.”
Police recovered from his possession two .38-caliber revolvers loaded with bullets and 13 sachets of shabu valued at around P30,000.
“He has been under surveillance for several days. Our asset informed us that he was engaged in a drug trade in Oton,” Pinuela said.
Iloilo Police Provincial Office director Senior Superintendent Marlon Tayaba said Herrera is working under the Acap drug group based in Barangay Mohon, Arevalo.
Later that evening, drug suspect Willy Palisario of Silay City, Negros Occidental was also killed.
Officers from the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU) led by Senior Inspector Marc Dado staged an operation against Palisario at 11:30 p.m.
Dado said they transacted with Palisario for the delivery of shabu worth P7,000 from Negros Occidental to Iloilo.
“Palisario was under a drug group in Negros Occidental. He will come here when there’s an order. Hindi siya pumupunta dito kung walang order,” added Dado.
The RDEU personnel opened fire at Palisario after the latter shot the undercover officer whom he sold the drugs to in Barangay Balabago, Jaro.
Palisario sustained a gunshot wound on the body. He expired at the West Visayas State University Medical Center.
The RDEU seized from him a .45-caliber pistol loaded with bullets and several sachets of shabu with an estimated value of P157,000.
Dado said Palisario was not alone when he came to Iloilo. The suspect’s companions were caught in a motel in Barangay Burgos, La Paz two hours after he was shot.
Using Palisario’s phone, the RDEU were able to catch the 33-year-old Lovely Sta. Ana and 22-year-old Angie Gimenea, both residents of Bacolod City.
The police recovered around P250,000 worth of shabu from them.
Sta. Ana and Gimenea were detained in the lockup cell of the La Paz police station.
Charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed against them./PN
