ILOILO City – A buy-bust operation in Barangay Concepcion, City Proper, took a tragic turn yesterday morning. A member of the Iloilo City Police Office’s (ICPO) Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team was fatally shot.
The ICPO’s City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) and Police Station 1 carried out the sting operation at the target’s house around 11:30 a.m. The SWAT team provided security backup.
The armed suspect, 52-year-old Glen “Bongbong” Yturiaga, who had two companions, resisted arrest, trading gunfire with the police.
The fatality was 42-year-old Police Staff Sergeant Michael Malan of Barangay Calaparan, Arevalo district. He died from a gunshot wound to the chest.
The CDEU classified Yturiaga as a high-value drug target.
After selling a heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet of suspected shabu worth P20,000 to a police asset, Yturiaga dashed to his second-floor room, locked himself in, and fired shots.
“I-sudlon na nila ang kwarto kay nanago ang subject, pero ginpaulanan sila bala. Nahulog sila tanan sa hagdanan,” Police Colonel Joeresty Coronica, city police director, told Panay News.
The layout of Yturiaga’s house was not favorable to the cops; Yturiaga appeared to know where to train his gun, he added.
“There was an exchange of fire. We are very sorry that one of our men died. We are very sad right now. He was only performing his duty to curb the proliferation of illegal drugs in Iloilo City,” said Coronica.
After hours of negotiation with the ICPO, Yturiaga and his companions surrendered.
The police recovered the buy-bust item (the plastic sachet of suspected shabu and buy-bust money), 10 knot-tied transparent plastic sachets of suspected shabu, three cellular phones, and one weighing scale, among others.
The recovered suspected shabu had a combined weight of 1,156 grams and valued at P7,860,800.
Yturiaga also surrendered his gun, a .9mm pistol.
“He was contacting one of his relatives nga nag-relay sa amon nga gusto ya mag-surrender,” said Coronica.
Malan died at St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo at around 1:12 p.m., just minutes before Yturriaga, and his companions, Ivan Palmejar, 35, and Katrina Espinosa, 42, surrendered, ending their more than an hour-long standoff with the police.
“Our hero laid down his life to restore peace in Iloilo City amid rampant illegal drug trafficking,” said Coronica.
He described Malan as a “snappy and hardworking policeman.”
Malan was married to an overseas Filipino worker and had a 15-year-old son.
According to the ICPO, Yturiaga had prior run-ins with the law, including a drug-related incarceration in 2018, only to be released through a plea deal in 2021.
Palmejar had been convicted of murder in 2009.
Not election-related
Yturiaga was reportedly financially supporting a candidate in the ongoing barangay election.
Despite the operation being implemented the day before the elections, Coronica clarified that it was not election-related; it was solely a legitimate buy-bust.
“This has nothing to do with the election. Ang gin-conduct naton buy-bust operation and the target or objective is illegal drugs,” said Coronica, adding that he will not send additional personnel in Barangay Concepcion for today’s election.
The ICPO director earlier said: “While I cannot disclose specific details yet, rest assured that the ICPO is vigilant. We’ve notified our regional director and the city mayor, who have pledged their support.”
Yturiaga and his companions were detained at Police Station 1.
They face charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002, and possibly another one for the death of Malan.
Coronica said the ICPO will extend assistance to Malan’s family.
Mayor Jerry Treñas, too.
“I am deeply saddened that a member of our SWAT team was shot and expired. The city government will support in whatever way possible the family. I condole with his family and the whole Philippine National Police family,” said Treñas./PN
