Montejo said the operation showed that the relentless campaign against illegal drugs will never waver as he commended that police units involved in the seizure of 10 kilos of suspected shabu with an estimated value of P68 million from three suspects.
"Undang namog pamaligya o gamit anang drogas kay duha ra gyud padulngan ninyo, prisohan o sementeryo (Stop selling or using illegal drugs because you will end up in jail or in cemetery)," warned Montejo.
Killed in the operation were Lihbon Kerr Bargayo, Christopher Lim, also known as “Christopher Aparice,” and Boyet Rama.
Police Major Alejandro Batobalonos, deputy officer of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group-Central Visayas (PDEG 7), said they suspect that the shabu seized from the three men was part of 27 kilos of illegal drugs that were shipped from Luzon to Cebu.
Intelligence report showed that a Cebuano drug lord was reportedly behind the drug shipment, said Batobalonos.
Batobalonos said PDEG is already tracking down the drug lord, who was described to be a pure Cebuano but is already based in Luzon.
The operation ended in a shootout after one of the suspects drew a gun and repeatedly shot the policeman, who acted as a poseur-buyer. The suspect shooting the poseur-buyer was captured by a video taken by one of the policemen. The policeman was saved by the bullet-proof vest he was wearing.
After shooting the policemen, the three suspects fled on board a black Toyota Vios.
Police later cornered the three suspects in Barangay Taptap where the shootout took place.