via Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7)
An undercover police officer was killed by a drug suspect during a buy-bust operation in Minglanilla town in southern Cebu on Monday afternoon.
PO2 Evie Espina died after he was shot several times in the body by drug suspect, Juvie Franza, said SPO2 Oliver Dacua of the Minglanilla Police Station in a phone interview.
Dacua said that Espina was among a group of undercover police officers, who were conducting a buy-bust operation against Franza in Sitio Bacay, Barangay Tulay in Minglanilla town at 5:45 p.m.
But Franza during the negotiation to buy illegal drugs realized that he was dealing with police officers, pulled out a gun, and shot Espina, said Dacua.
A shootout ensued as Franza shot at Espina’s partners as he fled the area toward some houses there.
The police officers chased Franza, cornered him and killed him in the ensuing shootout.
Dacua said that Franza died after he was shot in the head.
Dacua said that Franza had been considered as a high value target in the town police’s drug watchlist.
Recovered at the crime scene were a Beretta pistol and sachets of suspected shabu.