Drug syndicate leader drowns during Navotas shootout
A LEADER of drug syndicate who engaged lawmen in a gun battle died from drowning after jumping into the sea to elude arrest Sunday in Navotas City.
The body of Rodolfo Legaspi, 40, alleged leader of “Legaspi Drug Group” and resident of B. Cruz St., Brgy. Tanza North was found floating at around 2:30 p.m. by Charlie Puasa, 19, fisherman, along the seawater of Tanza Pabahay, Brgy. Tanza 2.
Investigation showed that earlier, operatives of Navotas Police Intelligence Section and Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) led by P/Lt. Luis Rufo, Jr. were about to serve a warrant of arrest against Legaspi at around 10:00 a.m. in Brgy. Tanza 2 when the suspect drew his caliber .9mm pistol and fired towards the direction of approaching lawmen.
Sensing that their lives were in danger, policemen retaliated prompting the suspect to jump into the sea and managed to elude arrest.
Pursuing lawmen diligently conducted search operations to locate the suspect but proved futile.
Police said a caliber .9mm Beretta and a plastic sachet containing an undetermined quantity of shabu were recovered from the suspect’s cadaver.
Legaspi’s alleged cohort, identified only as certain “Mucho” who was with him before the shootout happened also managed to escape and is now the subject of a police manhunt.
