A former policeman died after police shoot him for attempting to fire at them during a buy bust operation past 8 p.m. on Friday at Sitio Kapusoan Barangay Cambaro, Mandaue City.
The ex-cop, PO1 Albert Garo, 43, residing at the same place, was rushed to the Mandaue City Hospital after sustaining a gunshot in the head but was declared dead on arrival.
Senior Inspector James Conaco, chief of the Opao Police Station, said they have long been monitoring the subject who had operated on and off in the Mandaue City area.
He was a High Value Target in Cebu City as per information recieved from the Cebu City Police Office, Conaco said.
Conaco said it that was shortly after the transaction when Garo noticed the presence of the police and suddenly took his firearm and aimed it at the police, prompting the latter to neutralize him.
Police recovered the P1,000 buy bust money and another five plastic sachets of suspected shabu (crystal meth) from the pocket of Garo at the hospital.
Garo went AWOL (absence without leave) in 2002 after he was allegedly found selling an unlicensed firearm.