A SUSPECTED drug peddler whose name was included in the barangay drug watch list was killed after allegedly shooting it out with lawmen during a buy-bust operation Monday evening in Malabon city.

Malabon police chief P/Col. Joel Villanueva said Erwin Arcega, 39, of 41 Dr. Lascano St., Bgy. Tugatog succumbed to bullet wounds in the body while being rushed to Ospital ng Malabon.

Prior to the incident, elements of the Malabon Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) led by P/SSgt. Julius Sembrero, with six other operatives, conducted a drug sting against the suspect at around 10:40 p.m. along P. Concepcion St., Brgy. Tugatog following a weeklong monitoring and surveillance operation.

However, when Arcega sensed that he was dealing with police officer, he pulled out his hand gun and shot the police poseur-buyer twice but missed.

SDEU operatives who served as backup retaliated and hit the suspect in the body.

Responding elements of Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered from the slain suspect a .38 caliber revolver loaded with three live bullets and two empty shells in its chamber, a heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing an undetermined quantity of suspected shabu and assorted ID cards.

Villanueva said they had been receiving complaints against the suspect about his illegal drug activities in Bgy. Tugatog prompting SDEU operatives to conduct verification and information gathering.

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Edd Reyes