CAMP GEN. PANTALEON GARCIA, IMUS, Cavite – Two drug suspects were killed while a policeman was wounded Thursday night in shooting encounters in the municipalities of General Mariano Alvarez (GMA) and Silang, the Police Provincial Office (PPO) announced yesterday.
Police arrested at least three other suspects following the anti-drug operation shootings in the two neighboring municipalities.
Wounded was PO3 Victor Weckweken, a police operative, who was hit by a bullet in the left leg in the GMA running fire fight.
Senior Superintendent Eliseo D.L.C Cruz, PPO acting director, reported that the first shootout happened in front of San Gabriel Elementary School compound in Barangay Poblacion II, GMA at 8:20 p.m., Thursday.
Killed in the incident was one Kadio, an alleged drug pusher who was the target of the police team led by Senior Inspector Ardie Ortiz Bagaman, GMA chief of police.
Kadio, who suffered bullet wounds, was declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital.
Wecweken was wounded in the gunfight as he and his colleagues were pursuing Kadio and his cohorts namely Jake and Frank, Baldo and Tea.
The suspects were reported fierce as the GMA police had to seek assistance from the PPO Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team and the Public Safety and Management Company.
The team was able to nab Jake, Frank and Baldo after the gun battle. Tea reportedly escaped during the incident.
There was an order from PPO Chief Cruz to withhold the full identities of the suspects pending verification and the investigation of the incident.
Weckweken was treated and is now recuperating at a hospital in General Trias City.
The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered from the crime scene .9mm, 38-caliber and .22-caliber pistols, a hand grenade, several sachets containing shabu and drugs paraphernalia.
Cruz said that they will file illegal drug and resisting arrest charges against the arrested suspects.
Another PPO report said that one Ronnie Bacos, the alleged No. 7 drug personality in upland Mendez-Nunez municipality, was also killed by members of Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations led by Senior Insp. Ricardo B. Legaspi and the local police under Supt. Robert Rodelas Baesa also after a running gun battle at Pulong Bayan, Silang at 11:56 p.m. Thursday.
The gun battle started after the team spotted Bacos and a companion on board a motorcycle at a remote barangay in Silang near the boundaries of Mendez-Nunez and Tagaytay City.
Bacos, who was the back rider, was shot dead as he fired his gun at the pursuing lawmen.
The unidentified driver reportedly escaped on board the motorcycle when Bacos fell to the ground.
Recovered at the scene were Bacos’ .38-caliber revolver and a still undetermined pistol reportedly held by his companion. (Anthony Giron)