Drug suspect dies in shootout

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – An alleged drug personality was killed after he reportedly resisted police operatives in a buy-bust at Barangay 20, Victorias City, Negros Occidental Wednesday morning.

Police identified the fatality as Roy Sanchez, 33, of the said village.

Operatives of the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) and Victorias City Police Station raided Sanchez’s house around 6:20 a.m.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Eduardo Corpus, city police chief, said they conducted the operation after 10 months of surveillance.

“We subjected him for drug bust twice but he was really difficult to be arrested previously,” he added.

Corpus said Sanchez allegedly sold shabu to a police agent for P1,000.

However, Sanchez sensed that he was dealing with a police agent, prompting him to allegedly draw his .38-caliber revolver.

“He fired his gun twice, but luckily, the policeman was able to run and evaded harm,” Corpus said.

“Reinforcement was already in the area and returned fire, but Sanchez allegedly tried to grab the firearm from one police officer. They grappled for the gun, which injured the cop’s finger,” Corpus said.

Corpus said the policemen neutralized the suspect due to imminent danger to their lives.

The suspect succumbed to four gunshot wounds on his shoulder, chest, and arm.

Recovered from the suspect were 18 sachets of suspected shabu worth P600,000, a .38-caliber revolver with four live ammunitions, two fired cartridges of the same caliber, two deformed bullets, three empty ammunition shells, the P1,000 marked money, and a tooter.

Corpus said Sanchez was on their drugs watch list. He was considered a level one high value target because more than 50 grams of suspected shabu were recovered from his possession.

“He was really armed and dangerous, that’s why we have no choice but to also defend ourselves. It was already life-threatening,” Corpus said.

Citing statements of Sanchez’s alleged runners who were previously arrested, Corpus said the suspect was “willing to risk his life just to escape.

“Hindi talaga siya magpapahuli ng buhay.”

Corpus said the suspect allegedly get his supply of drugs from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), where his brother was jailed for murder.

His brother has a friend, who was a former alleged drug lord in the city, who was also jailed at NBP.

Sanchez received the item from the NBP as he was considered a “bodegero” or stock keeper.

Meanwhile, Corpus said Sanchez would usually meet his clients inside their compound every night.

“He usually conducted the transactions in the evening or past midnight,” he added.