Drug suspect killed in Capitol Site buy-bust operation

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A man, who is said to be on the drug watchlist of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO), was killed during a buy-bust operation Saturday night, March 13.

The incident happened at about 7 p.m. along Villalon Drive in Barangay Capitol Site in Cebu City.

Ronel Pianar, 32, sustained at least one bullet wound on his body and was already dead when brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, said Police Major Joey Bicoy, chief of LLCPO’s City Intelligence Unit (LCPO-CIU).

Lapu-Lapu City police recovered a hand gun and 50 grams of suspected shabu worth around P340,000 from the suspect’s sling bag.

Bicoy said that Pianar is a resident of Camp Marina in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City but would also travel to Lapu-Lapu City to dispose 50 to 100 grams of illegal drugs per week.

Since he worked with extreme caution, it took the police two weeks to place Pianar under surveillance before they finally planned the buy-bust operation Saturday night.

“Naa tay nadawat nga information nga kani siya magtagakan ni sya dri sa Lapu-Lapu area. Then, tabang sa atong confidential informant, naka transact ta niya ani.” Bicoy said.

(We received information that he also disposes [shabu] in Lapu-Lapu area. With the help of our confidential informant, we were able to transact with him.)

“Ang initial instruction unta ani kay mahitabo sa Lapu-Lapu pero nadugay sa  sigeg tawag, nag decide siya nga aria lang ko dri sa Capitol Site. So nagdecide mi nga muanha sa Cebu City in coordination sa  Station 2 nga mu conduct ta og buy-bust operation diha and also with the PDEA.” he added.

(The initial plan was to do the transaction in Lapu-Lapu but after several calls were made it was finally decided to transfer it to Capitol Site. So, we decided to go to Cebu City, in coordination with Police Station 2 (Fuente Police Station), to conduct a buy-bust operation that was also coordinated with PDEA.)

Bicoy said they sent a poseur buyer to meet with the suspect, but Pianar was able to sense that he was dealing with a police officer.

The two were grappling when Pianar bit the police officer on the chest.

After he went loose Bicoy said that Pianar pulled a hand gun which he kept on his sling bag which prompted their poseur buyer to also pull his service firearms and fire at the suspect.

Bicoy said they continue to wait for the official report from the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) to determine where Pianar was hit.

Police Lieutenant Noah Anana, deputy officer of LCPO’s CIU, said that the police poseur fired his firearms more than once.

Bicol said that they continue to investigate Pianar’s case to especially identify his source of shabu and other cohorts. / dcb