Drug suspect wounded in Liloan armed encounter

A forensic team from the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) examine the area where a drug suspect was wounded after he allegedly tried to escape and engage police in a shootout on Wednesday morning, February 24, 2021. | Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A drug suspect was wounded after he allegedly tried to escape and engage in a shootout with his arresting officers during a buy-bust operation in Liloan town on Wednesday morning, February 24.

Reports released by the Liloan Police Station showed that cops arrived in Purok Manga 2, Barangay Poblacion at around 4:30 a.m. to conduct a buy-bust operation against Nolasco Sasing Juntong and Rachel Habel Sevilla, who are both residents in the area.

Police claimed that Juntong, 36, detected that he was surrounded by law enforcers and attempted to escape while he fired shots at them, prompting them to also fire back.

Juntong, who is on the anti-drugs watchlist of the Liloan Police Station, was immediately brought to a nearby public hospital for the treatment of his bullet wounds.

Liloan police were lucky to have immediately arrested Sevilla, 29, whom they found in her residence.

 It remains unclear where Juntong was hit.

But police said they recovered a 9mm pistol with serial # 1674524 with chamber load, a magazine, and live ammo and a 38 cal. Rev. Armscor, with chamber load, one live ammo and one fire cartridge from the two suspects.

They also seized 0.90 grams of illegal drugs worth P6,000 during their Wednesday morning operation.

Liloan is a first-class municipality located approximately 19 kilometers north of Cebu City. /dcb