Real estate broker slain in drug op in Surigao City

BUTUAN CITY – A real estate broker was killed during a buy-bust and entrapment operation conducted by the combined drug enforcement units of Surigao City Police Station (SCPS), and the Surigao del Norte Police provincial office (PPO), as well as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on P. Reyes St., Barangay Taft, Surigao City, police official reported on Saturday.

In his initial report to Chief Supt. Rolando B. Felix, regional director of Northeastern Mindanao Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13) based at Camp Rafael C. Rodriguez here, Surigao del Norte PPO director Sr. Supt. Antony B. Maghari, said the buy-bust and entrapment operation also led to the arrest of four other drug suspects.

Maghari, identified the slain suspect as Ferdinand J. Gonzaga, 37, who is also known as Inan, a real estate broker in Surigao City and Surigao del Norte, and a native of Poblacion 3, General Luna town, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte.

The Surigao del Norte PPO director also identified those arrested as Danny V. Espejon, Irish A. Llorca, Ellen R. Ortiz Balo, 20, and Jerafel M. Martinez, 19, all of Surigao City.

Investigation conducted by the SCPS, PPO and PDEA disclosed that during the buy-bust operation at 11 p.m. on Thursday, Gonzaga was on board his parked pickup on P. Reyes St., Barangay Taft, Surigao City when he noticed that he was transacting with a police officer. The report said this prompted the suspect to fire upon them.

Gonzaga tried to escape by trying to speed away on his pickup.

“A firefight then ensued between the escaping suspect and the chasing operating team when suspect fired upon them triggering the chasing police officers to retaliate against him. He was subdued at the national highway of Barangay Cagniog of that same city when the suspect lost control of his vehicle, causing it to flip on the left side of the road,” Maghari said.

According to Maghari, the operatives immediately brought Gonzaga to the Caraga Regional Hospital also in Surigao City for medical treatment on a patrol car.

“While onboard the vehicle, suspect then willfully and forcefully grabbed the firearm of one of the apprehending police officers, prompting the former to defend himself causing a struggle between them and eventually a burst of fire was heard. Suspect was pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physician at 3:40 a.m. on Friday,” Maghari said.

The four suspects are still under thorough investigation by the apprehending drug enforcement unit in preparation of filing charges in court.