By Lyka Manalo
LIPA CITY, Batangas — A member of Lipa City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) was saved by his bulletproof vest from two gun shots while a drug peddler suspect was killed in a short encounter here Sunday after midnight.
(PIXABAY FILE PHOTO)
Batangas police director Senior Supt. Edwin Quilates said a buy-bust operation was conducted in Barangay San Salvador in Lipa at around 12:15 a.m.
Suspect who was identified as Ronnel Ramirez tried to evade the arrest and shot the poseur buyer, Police Officer 3 Joel Lalamunan twice on his chest who was wearing a bulletproof vest.
The shooting prompted the police team to retaliate hitting Ramirez, a newly identified drug personality in the city.
He was taken to Mary Mediatrix Medical Center in this city but later died while being treated.
Ramirez' companion sped off on board a motorcycle toward MataasnaKahoy town and now the target of the hot pursuit operations.
Police recovered a sunglasses case with marked money and sachets of suspected shabu and marijuana;and a revolver cal.45 at the crime scene.