By Nonoy Lacson and Mike Crismundo
ZAMBOANGA CITY/ CAMP COL. RAFAEL C. RODRIGUEZ, Butuan City – A drug suspect listed as a high-value target by the police in Region 8 was killed, while two drug couriers were arrested and close to P4 million worth of shabu seized during the buy-bust operations at dawn Tuesday in Butuan City and Zamboanga City.
Chief Supt. Gilberto DC Cruz, regional director of Northeastern Mindanao Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13), said that the joint anti-illegal drug operation of PRO 13, PRO 8 Regional Intelligence Unit and the 13th Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA 13) against the alleged suspect Jerry Gregorio Malazarte, resident of Bato, Leyte was launched at around 1 a.m. on Tuesday.
“Sensing that he was transacting with a police officer, the suspect allegedly drew out his cal. 38 revolver and shot the poseur buyer but the latter managed to neutralize the target,” the region’s police chief said.
Confiscated during the buy-bust operation were eight sachets of shabu weighing 70 grams with a street value of P472,000.00, a caliber .38 revolver with four live ammunitions, and marked money, Cruz said.
Police Regional Office for Zamboanga peninsula (PRO-9) Director Chief Supt Emmanuel Luis D. Licup said PDEA-9 and policemen conducted a drug buy bust operation in the corner of Zaragoza St. Barangay Zone 4, Zamboanga City at about 4:20 p.m. on Tuesday.
Licup identified the two drug suspects as Sarah Abdulgafur Sawajaan 36, married, jobless, and a resident of Barangay Rio Hondo in this city, and Fatima Amirul Sahidan, 40, widow, and a resident of Kalingalang Kaluang, Sulu.
Confiscated from them were 10 large sachets of suspected shabu weighing more or less 500 grams with an estimated street value of P3. 4 million and 700,000 in bogus money with one original P1,000 bill, according to Licup
The confiscated items and the suspects were brought to PDEA-9 for laboratory examination and for filing of appropriate charges in court.
Licup also lauded the operating units of PDEA-9 and Zamboanga City Police Office under Sr. Supt Thomas Joseph Marthir.
Early last year, PDEA agents, backed by operatives from Zamboanga City Police Office, also arrested five people and seized some P9.8 million worth of suspected shabu during the drug buy-bust operation along Rajah Soliman St., Barangay Zone IV and Pilar St., Barangay Zone IV, Zamboanga City.
Licup said the drug buy bust operation was part of the conduct of high-impact operations to arrest major drug traffickers in Western Mindanao as ordered by PNP Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde.