CEBU CITY – The three drug suspects who were killed in an alleged shootout with the police last Tuesday in Mandaue City, Cebu were members of a big-time drug syndicate whose leader is currently serving his sentence at the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City, police said yesterday.
Prince Gem Mapalo, Alfredo Soza, and Roque Abellar belonged to the “Ygot Group,” which is responsible for the distribution of illegal drugs in metro Cebu, said Police Major Mercy Villaro, information officer of the Mandaue police.
The three men allegedly fought the police in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue.
The 21-year-old Mapalo was the subject of the operation. Packs of suspected shabu worth P78.2 million were recovered from the suspect’s vehicle.
Mapalo and Abella were from Cebu City while Abella was from Barili, Cebu.
Villaro said personnel of the Barili police station identified Soza since he was included in the list of suspected drug pushers operating in the town.
Police found out that Soza was detained at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center for drug charges but was released last month through a plea bargaining agreement.
Abellar was also jailed for drug charges until he was released from the Cebu City Jail last June. (Calvin D. Cordova)
