An alleged big-time drug lord tagged as operator of several clandestine shabu laboratories in Cavite and Quezon City was killed in a shootout with police authorities in Valenzuela City early yesterday morning.
Reports reaching Camp Crame in Quezon City identified the killed slain suspect as Meco Tan, who allegedly operated a secret shabu laboratory along with one Jackson Dy, wherein some 600 kilograms of shabu were confiscated in Naic, Cavite, sometime in 2003.
Tan was also involved in the operation of another shabu laboratory in Scout Chuatoco, Quezon City, wherein 70 kilograms of shabu and 3,500 kilograms of ephedrine were confiscated by operatives of PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF).
Police said the encounter took place shortly after joint operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Special Enforcement Service (PDEA-SES), PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group, Valenzuela City Police Office, Northern Police District (NPD), and Highway Patrol Group (HPG), implemented search warrant at a suspected shabu laboratory at Binagbayanan Street, Willex Compound, Barangay Lingunan, Valenzuela City, at about 4:15 a.m. yesterday.
As the police team was about to enter the compound, a white Honda Civic with plate number ZEV-295 suddenly came out and sped off towards T. Santiago Street.
Using a siren blinker and a public address system, the HPG mobile team chased the car and ordered the driver to stop.
Instead of heeding the police order, the driver, who turned out to be Tan himself, fired shots at his pursuers.
A running gunbattle ensued until the suspect’s vehicle rammed the roadside pavement of Plastic Cit, Lingunan, Valenzuela City, where he was cornered by another HPG mobile team.
Instead of surrendering, the suspect continued to fire at the operatives who retaliated, killing him in the process.
Valenzuela police immediately secured the scene. PNP chief Police Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa later arrived and checked on the operation.
Dela Rosa also visited the clandestine shabu laboratory while PDEA agents was conducting an inventory of the drugs and machines in the place.