Bicol cops gun down ‘HVT’, seize over P1M shabu
A STEPPED up anti-criminality drive by Bicol police last week resulted in the killing of a ‘high-value drug target’ during a shootout with officers after he sold over P1 million worth of shabu and the arrest of 14 most wanted persons in separate manhunt operations in the region, Police Regional Office 5 (PRO5) director, Brigadier General Jonnel C. Estomo told the Journal Group.
Estomo reported to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar that top Bicol drug personality Alvin Pala, a resident of Barangay Quenalansan, San Jose, Camarines Sur was killed in a gunfight that marred the conduct of a buy-bust inside the Magento Compound in Concepcion Pequeña, Nava City 8 a.m. last Friday.
“My men were forced to retaliate when the suspect who is considered as ‘armed and dangerous’ started firing at them when he sensed the ongoing entrapment operation,” said Estomo.
Brig. Gen. Estomo said that recovered from the possession of the slain suspect were a chamber-loaded caliber .45 pistol with a magazine containing seven live ammunition, two knot-tied plastic packets containing 150 grams of the so-called ‘poor man’s cocaine’ worth P1.1 million and the P450,000 worth of boodle money topped by a marked P500 bill paid to the latter by an undercover officer.
Members of the PRO5 Regional Drug Enforcement Unit led by Captain Emil Yebra initiated the sting with the assistance of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group, the PRO5 Regional Special Operations Unit, the Naga City Police Office and the local Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
The official also announced the arrest of 14 other most wanted persons in Bicol following a series of manhunt operations.
Two of those arrested were Annie Castillo and her live-in partner Ruel Llanera, both tagged as hard-core members of the New People’s Army’s Bicol Regional Party Committee.
Estomo said the two were arrested in Bgy. Panganiban, Gubat, Sorsogon on Friday afternoon by members of the PRO5 and the Army’s 31st Infantry Battalion while in possession of a loaded caliber .45 pistol with seven bullets and a fragmentation grenade.
The arrested duo are known NPA ‘tax collectors’ in Sorsogon prior to their arrest. Both are now facing charges for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
A 3rd identified as Isidro Caño alias ‘Ka Poto/Jing,’ a known NPA member was arrested for a murder case in Castilla, Sorsogon.
Estomo said the identified member of the CPP/NPA’s Bicol Regional Party Committee operating in Sorsogon was captured in his hideout in Bgy. Amomonting in Castilla municipality by joint operatives of the Castilla Municipal Police Station and the PNP Special Action Force.
The suspect was arrested on the strength of a warrant of arrest for murder issued by Judge Victor Gella of the Sorsogon City Regional Trial Court Branch 53 on November 11, 2009 with no bail recommended.
Brig. Gen. Estomo said that the suspect is wanted for his involvement in a series of killings in Sorsogon but managed to elude authorities over the past 12 years.
