LUCENA CITY — A suspected pusher, who was the subject of a drug bust, and two undercover cops who were about to arrest him were wounded during a shootout Friday night in front of a shopping mall in Brgy. Ibabang Dupay, here.

Quezon police director Col. Ledon Monte said drug suspect Gerald Diadesma, 34, A resident of Bgy. Mayao Crossing and included in the list of high value individuals, suffered a gunshot wound in the lower body during the shootout after he opened fire, hitting PSSg Arnel Buemia and PSSg Donald Bulaklak, both members of the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit under Major Mendel Casao.

Monte said Buemia suffered a bullet wound in the chest while Bulaklak was hit in the left knee.

Prior to the incident, Monte said Diadesma and a policeman who acted as drug poseur buyer met in front of SM City Lucena at 9 p.m. over a drug transaction, but the former immediately got suspicious and promptly ran away in the crowd to evade arrest as he opened fire.

“Buemia and Bulaklak who served as backup was about to have him captured but could not immediately shoot Diadesma for fear of hitting the walking shopping goers. The suspect took advantage of the situation and shot the two cops hitting both of them,” said Monte.

He said the cops were forced to return fire, hitting the suspect in the body but the latter still managed to run away and escape.

Monte said the suspect was eventually arrested in a hospital by pursuing cops who recovered from his possession eight heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing 13 grams of shabu with street value of P265,200, a genuine P1,000 bill and 15 pieces of P1,000 bills used as marked money.

In a follow-up operation, Monte said operatives recovered the cal. 9mm pistol loaded with four live ammunitions used by the suspect from the possession of his brother Mark Angelo Diadesma,18, at their residence in Bgy. Mayao Crossing.

Appropriate charges will be filed against the brothers.

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Gemi Formaran