ILOILO City – An alleged hit man of late drug lord Melvin Odicta was shot to death in a police operation in Barangay Tanza Esperanza, City Proper.
The 30-year-old Japhet Zerrudo died of multiple gunshot wounds at the Iloilo Doctor’s Hospital, police said.
Zerrudo, a “high-value” drug personality, was the subject of a buy-bust operation staged by personnel of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU) of the Police Regional Office 6 around 12:30 a.m. on Saturday.
RDEU chief Captain Marc Dado said an undercover police officer transacted to buy a sachet of shabu from Zerrudo for P7,000.
Zerrudo sensed he was transacting with a police officer, according to Dado, the reason he pulled out a .357-caliber revolver from his waist.
The suspect used the gun to shoot the poseur buyer who managed to find a cover.
A back-up police officer fired back at Zerrudo several times, resulting in the latter’s death.
Recovered from the crime scene were the .357-caliber revolver with four bullets, two empty shells of a .457-caliber revolver, and nine sachets of shabu, police said.
According to Dado, Zerrudo worked for Odicta as a hit man. He had been detained at the Iloilo District Jail in Barangay Nanga, Pototan, Iloilo for murder.
“Even inside the jail, Zerrudo still continued the illegal drug trade,” said Dado. “He was strict in selling illegal drugs; no cellular phone allowed that’s why when our poseur buyer transacted he reacted upon seeing the phone of our asset.”
Zerrudo was released from jail last month. He was the son of Levi Zerrudo, also a hit man and alleged right hand of Odicta.
“We have been tailing him after we received information that he was released from jail. When we confirmed that he continues to engage in illegal drugs, we conducted an operation, but he fought back,” said Dado./PN
