Drug suspect killed in bust
A drug suspect was killed during a police-led operation in San Fernando town in southern Cebu last Sunday night.
The town’s police chief, Police Senior Insp. Adrian Nalua, said the cop who transacted with Benjamin “Titing / Makmak” Acero, Jr. was forced to pull the trigger after the suspect allegedly tried to wrestle for his service firearm.
The cop, PO2 Aristeo Tampus, was hit in his left arm when Acero pulled the trigger during the struggle.
Acero suffered several gunshot wounds and did not make it to the hospital alive. Tampus, on the other hand, is recovering from his injury.
Nalua said Tampus was able to buy a small pack of shabu from Acero and when he introduced himself as a policeman, Acero reportedly ran, only to stop a few meters away and waited for Tampus to reach him. When the cop did, Acero wrestled for the gun.
"Mga pila ka meters gikan sa nahimutangan sa atong police kay nihunong ni ang suspect so nagtuo si Tampus nga magpaposas na ang suspek apan pagduol niya kay gi-ilog niya ang pusil sa atong pulis," Nalua said.
"Mura'g lig-on gyod (suspect) kay bisag naigo na kay barog gihapon," Nalua said.
The buy-bust operation was hatched in Barangay South Poblacion. Police recovered two small packs and one medium pack of shabu estimated to worth P20,000.
Acero has just been identified as a drug personality in San Fernando. His family would tell the police after the incident that he had just come out of the drug rehabilitation center.
"Bag-o ra ni siya nakagawas daw sa rehab niya na-monitor namo nga namaligya naman hinuon," Nalua said.
OVERKILL?
Despite the suspect's death, Nalua said the operation was legitimate.
"Gi-remind man gyod na namo sa among operatives before ang operation nga kung dili kinahanglan nga magpabuto, dili lang gyod, apan during sa operation, makita man nato nga kinahanglan gyod kay ang atong police may giunhan," Nalua said.
Acero's family, however, is crying overkill.
"Overkill naman na… usa, duha lang ka tira patay naman na. Grabe, wala sila'y patawad... sala pud sa ako manghod ngano nisukol," said Acero's sister, Rhea Quevedo.
Nalua defended Tampus, saying Acero was very aggressive despite having already been shot.
"Medyo agrisibo gyod kay mu-atake gihapon bisan naigo na. Muingon pa gani sa atong operatiba nga, 'ako na pud',” Nalua said.
The Police Regional Office (PRO) -7 also defended the San Fernando cops.
"It's not an extrajudicial killing. It's a product of a legitimate drug operation. Matawag legal, being a police officer. At any moment, you have to protect yourself," said PRO-7 spokesperson, Supt. Reyman Tolentin, PRO-7.
Tolentin said cops are mandated to defend themselves when faced with eminent danger.
"You have to defend yourself. Control or neutralize to abolish the threat. Kung sa pag-ilog sa pusil and was hit sa area nga ikapatay niya (police officer) he should have been dead, if wala niya buhata ang pagneutralize (drug suspect)," Tolentin said.
Tolentin said that any form of engagement towards the subject of the operation is inevitable, since most suspected drug personalities are armed. This, considering they have to defend themselves from competing illegal-drug traders.
"They bring guns because of their competitors, so mag-ilog sila sa halin. That's why some drug personalities, (are armed). The dilemma, if naa sila pusil instinct sa taw mubunot og pusil," Tolentin said.
PRO-7 urged drug personalities:
“If you do not intend to stop, the long arms of the law will catch you. We just hope and pray the drug personality nga dili sila musukol," Tolentin said.
Drug personalities identified during Oplan Tokhang will be subject to surveillance if they do not submit themselves to the law
willingly.
THIRD DEATH
Acero's death is the third in the region since the PNP rejoined the government's crackdown against illegal drugs.
From December 5 to February 4, the police conducted 461 operations and arrested 752 drug suspects. Of the 752 arrested, 328 are pushers and 424 are users.
Two drug personalities were killed in separate antiillegal drug operations in Negros Oriental.
In comparison, from August 20 to October 20 last year, 1,777 drug suspects were arrested. Ten died during the police operations.
Last year, President Rodrigo Duterte limited the PNP to intelligence work owing to complaints of human rights violations and erring cops but eventually reinstated the cops in the drug war in December because the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) lacks manpower and resources.