Suspected drug pusher, car thief killed in Koronadal

KORONADAL CITY: A suspected drug pusher also accused of car theft was killed while two big time illegal drug suppliers and a sales agent were arrested in separate massive police campaigns against illegal drugs in this city Duterte administration.

Supt. Barney Condes, Koronadal City police director, said the campaign carried out starting at about noon time on July 1 also resulted in the recovery of a stolen Toyota D4D van, two fragmentation grenades, caliber .38 revolver, caliber .357 magnum pistol, a homemade pistol and several sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride, more commonly known as ‘shabu,’ worth more than P700,000.

Condes said Francis Patricio, of Santo Niño, South Cotabato, opted to shoot it out with arrest Gaisano Grand Mall in Koronadal City on Friday night.

Police said a tracker team was sent after a certain Alexander Borja sought police assistance about his missing white van (plate number MDR-704), which was rented by Patricio on June 26. Borja said Patricio did not return the van as agreed after he rented it to fetch his grandmother in a hospital in Tupi, South Cotabato.

Borja said Patricio’s mobile phone could not be reached and he was forced to seek police assistance. Borja also reported that his vehicle was sighted in the car park of Gaisano Mall along GenSan Drive here.

When the police found the van at the mall’s car park at 10 p.m. on Friday, they ordered Patricio to get out. Instead of peacefully handing over the van to police, Patricio out, which led to his death.

Found inside the van was a fragmentation grenade and three sachets of suspected ‘shabu.’

Condes said investigation revealed that Patricio was wanted for car theft, robbery and illegal drug pushing charges. Police also found Patricio to have been detained in the past because of various crimes.

Condes defended his men, say he was armed and dangerous.

He was the second suspected car thief killed in Koronadal City since June 30.

Before the shootout, police were busy searching for persons engaged in illegal drug business in Koronadal City, which led to as Jeffrey Ng, of Rizal Extension, Barangay Zone 4 in this city.

He was arrested by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Renato Tampac of Regional Trial Court 25. Taken from Ng’s home were two sachets of ‘shabu,’ a hand grenade, a caliber .38 revolver and bullets for a caliber .22 pistol.

Police also raided the house of Glecerio de Pedro, a known big time illegal drug pusher in Koronadal City and resident of Barangay Zone 2.

The police seized three medium size sachets of ‘ shabu’ from De Pedro, drug money and ‘shabu’ paraphernalia.

Zone 2 Barangay chairperson Nelia Corales said De Pedro was a known illegal drug pusher in the village and have repeatedly been reminded to mend his ways and surrender.

He is a relative of former Gov. Hilario de Pedro 3rd of South Cotabato and was in the police watch list.

Another police team, led by Chief Inspector Rey Egos, raided a house in Purok Bagong Silang, Barangay Carpenter Hill, Koronadal City.

Arrested was Roselito Delfin, resident of Barangay Carpenter Hill. Seized from him were two huge sachets of ‘ shabu’ with a market value of about P500,000 to P1 million, and other drug paraphernalia.

Charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002 are being prepared against the suspects.