Ex-cop killed in drug buy-bust operations

DUMAGUETE CITY — A former member of the Philippine National Police Batch 2007 was gunned down Tuesday evening when he attempted to shoot it out with police operatives during a buy-bust operation in Dumaguete City.

Superintendent Jonathan Pineda, chief of the Dumaguete City Police, identified the former policeman as Roderick Maquinta, 36, a resident of the city's Barangay Dandau-ay, and a high-value target for drugs.

Pineda said they had a hard time catching up Maquinta who was so skillful and knowledgeable of police work being assigned with the City Police intelligence unit before.

With the use of a confidential agent, the Dumaguete Police consummated the transaction with Maquinta, who however later noticed he was dealing with a police officer that prompted him to react by pulling a gun, resulting in the shootout and death of the suspect.

Recovered from the crime scene were three big sachets of shabu, three small sachets of shabu, a .45-caliber Colt pistol with magazine loaded with six bullets, a pocket weighing scale, the suspect's wallet containing P10,671.25 cash, three empty shells of bullets for a 99-mm pistol, a deformed slug for the same pistol, and personal belongings of the suspect, such as watch, belt, and cellphone.

Senior Superintendent Edwin Portento, director of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, said everything in the operation was coordinated with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Administration (PDEA). He said the safety of the operatives had been compromised prompting one of the junior police officers to shoot Maquinta.

Portento said Maquinta was thrown out of the province since 2011, and was assigned in different police stations in Cebu, as far as in Dalaguete and Alegria towns, and then went on absence without official leave (AWOL). In 2013, Maquinta was dismissed from service for using a government-issued phone in an illegal drugs transaction.

Even if Portento believes it was a legitimate operation, he directed the Provincial Inspectorate office to conduct the mandatory investigation to dispel apprehensions about the possibility of an EJK.

In a New Year’s call at the regional command, Portento said the PNP has a list of policemen suspected of having indulged in illegal drugs as users but the same needs verification. He said the recent random drug testing at the NORPPO showed negative results for use of prohibited drugs among its personnel.

Portento told his men his command will not hesitate to do what is necessary if one is found to be involved in illegal drugs.

Reacting to the incident, Mayor Felipe Remollo said it was a good sign that the police was doing a crackdown first on bad elements within their ranks, or even former comrades. However, he cautioned the police to make sure what they were doing are within the bounds of the law.