By AARON RECUENCO
Anti-scalawag operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) killed yesterday morning another policeman who was tagged as involved in recycling shabu in Infanta town of Quezon following a buy-bust that led to a gun battle.
Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat, commander of the Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF), said the operation stemmed from complaints and tips that PO2 Ian Rey Abitona was involved in recycling shabu that he had confiscated in various police operations in the past.
“Based on our report, he was using his civilian assets in recycling illegal drugs. Likewise, he was the suspect in killing some of his asset or runners whenever they failed to remit the required amount,” said Caramat.
But this time, Abitona was so brazen that he was the one who showed up in a drug deal with a police poseur buyer in Barangay Pilaway in Infanta town at around 7:30 a.m. yesteday. He was even wearing a police uniform.
In the middle of the transaction, Caramat said Abitona sensed that he was dealing with a policeman, prompting him to draw his firearm and initiated a gunfight with the cops.
He was killed by the CIF operatives who were also backed by the local police force.
Abitona was the fourth policeman killed since Caramat assumed the top CITF post a few months ago. Earlier, CITF operatives killed an alleged narco-cop in Cebu in June, in Rizal and in Mindoro Occidental last month.
Based on the intelligence information, Abitona was involved in illegal drugs and was even included in the watchlist of the narco-cops under the provincial police.
