Cop injured in Kabankalan drug bust

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – Multiple charges will be filed against two alleged drug suspects for shooting a police operative during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Tan-awan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, last Tuesday.

The victim, Police Staff Sergeant Iric Montoyo, suffered a gunshot wound to his right arm.

Police Captain Joelan Vinson, deputy chief of the Kabankalan City Police Station, said the drug bust had already been completed against 42-year-old Alvie Taco and his 22-year-old alleged cohort when Taco sensed they were transacting with a police agent.

Taco allegedly drew his firearm and shot Montoyo, who was one of the backup operatives in the operation.

Vinson reported that Montoyo is stable and recuperating in a private hospital. The police were able to immediately subdue the two suspects.

Police seized from them 20 grams of suspected shabu worth P136,000, an improvised tooter, and the P500 marked money.

Confiscated from Taco was a .45 caliber Glock pistol with a chamber loaded with live ammunition, a magazine loaded with nine rounds of live ammunition, and a fired cartridge case, while the younger suspect allegedly yielded a .22 caliber revolver loaded with five rounds of live ammunition.

Vinson stated that Taco is listed as the top 6 drug personality on the provincial priority target list and the top 1 in the city.

He noted that it took months to monitor Taco due to the distance of his area in the upland part of the city.

Taco is allegedly one of the remnants of a criminal and drug group in the province, according to Vinson. He is considered a high-value individual, while his companion is a street-level individual, according to the police.

Vinson added that Taco was previously arrested for a drug offense and had served his sentence.

Drug charges and a case for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition will be filed against both suspects. An additional case for frustrated homicide may also be filed, he added.