Three men died, while five others were arrested in separate drug-related incidents in Metro Cebu on Wednesday night.
The first incident happened in Barangay Alang-Alang, Mandaue City where Gerald Mayol, died on the spot after sustaining fatal gunshot wounds in the body.
Chief Insp. Michael Angelo Beltran, Centro Police Station chief who led the buy-bust operation, said the 24-year-old Mayol allegedly pulled out a handgun after noticing that he was dealing with the policemen, prompting the latter to shoot him.
Although Mayol was not in the drug list, the Centro policemen conducted the buy-bust operation after receiving reports from surrenderers that Mayol was allegedly engaged in illegal drug activity.
Police recovered an improvised 9mm pistol, a sachet of suspected shabu and the buy-bust money from Mayol.
Two others, who were at the vicinity were also arrested by the police after acting suspiciously. Upon frisking Ferdinand Lauron, 21, and Francis Aligato, 31, allegedly yielded two small sachets of suspected shabu each.
Mayol was the seventh drug suspect killed in anti-illegal drug campaign in Mandaue since last month.
The second incident occurred around 10:20 p.m. in Villagonzalo II in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City. Witness Jovannie Contreras of Sitio Blessed Sacrament said the victim identified as Jayrald Suson Gepulla was playing toss coin with his friends when an unidentified man shot him.
PO2 Marlon Gonzales of Waterfront Police Station said Gepulla was hit on his left breast. Gepulla was brought to Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), where he was declared dead on arrival.
Gepulla’s wife, Janet, admitted to the Homicide police that her husband was a drug dependent.
The third shooting incident happened at midnight in Sitio Tayud, Barangay Basak Pardo, Cebu City involving the victim Mark Gil Legara, 30, of Climaco Street, Barangay Bulacao, Cebu City. Legara was reportedly sitting on a wooden chair while watching computer games when five unidentified men wearing bonnets pulled him away from the area. The victim was later found in a secluded area of the barangay with gunshot wounds on his head and upper torso.
Initial investigation showed that the victim was included in the Police Station 7’s list of persons allegedly involved in illegal drugs.
Legara’s sister Jennipher confirmed that her brother was a user but not a drug pusher.
Also last Wednesday night, another three men were also arrested in separate buy-bust operations. Suspects Jaime Ancajas, 46, and Allan Villanueva, 36, were arrested by the Fuente police in Sitio Atis, Barangay Sambag I, Cebu City.
PO3 Clifford Managura of Fuente Police Station the operation was in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-7).
The police were able to confiscate five sachets believed to be illegal drugs from Ancajas and another five sachets containing alleged shabu from Villanueva and two P100 bills.
The third suspect, 32-year-old Roel Garbo, was arrested in a buy-bust operation inside their house in Barangay Tayud, Consolacion town, northern Cebu.
PO1 Raymond Lleve of Consolacion Police Station said Roel’s brother, Joseph, was able to escape after recognize the presence of the police during the transaction.
Police were able to recover from Roel three small sachets and four medium-sized plastics containing alleged shabu, drug paraphernalia and P500.