Western Visayas native killed in Mambaling buy-bust operation

Police recovered 500 grams of suspected shabu worth P3.4 M

A drug suspect was killed following an armed encounter that happened in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City, Saturday night, August 7. | Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Personnel of the Drug Enforcement Unit of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (DEU-7) planned a buy-bust operation against a Western Visayas native, who is said to be peddling illegal drugs here.

But the operation became bloody after the suspect, who was identified only as a certain Kempoy, allegedly fired shots at the police team as he tried to elude arrest.

Kempoy died from a bullet wound on his body, according to Police Major Glen Hife, the RDEU-7 chief.

Police also recovered a total of 500 grams of suspected shabu with a market value of P3.4 million and a .45 caliber gun during their operation.

The encounter happened in C3, Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City past 10 p.m. on Saturday, August 7.

Based on their initial investigation, Hife said, Kempoy rented a pump boat to transport illegal drugs to C3.  He avoided use of the national highway because of heightened checkpoints that were implemented since Cebu City was placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).

Hife said they hid in a dark and grassy portion of C3 while they waited for Kempoy, who is on the top 10 list of the High Value Individuals in Central Visayas, to arrive.

But Kempoy may have sensed that he was transacting with a poseur buyer, the reason why he alleged fired his gun, a .45 caliber, as he tried to flee.

Kempoy was killed when DEU-7 operatives fired back.

They continue to wait for the report from the Scene of Crime Operatives (SOCO) to determine how many bullet wounds Kempoy sustained which resulted to his death, Hife said.

Police recovered the 250 grams of shabu worth P1.7 million which Kempoy sold to the poseur buyer and another 250 grams that was still in his possession.

As of this posting, Hife said they continue to look into the suspect’s background to especially determine his real name and his place of origin in Western Visayas.

Hife said all that they know for now is that Kempoy is renting a place in Sitio Sosco, Banawa Hills in Barangay Guadalupe.

Levi Ortiz, Central Visayas director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-7), said he is now coordinating with contacts in Region 6 as they continue to gather information on the suspect’s background and his possible affiliations.

“Naa natay gi conduct nga follow-up operation. Di lang sa nako ma divulge pa aron di ma compromise atong trabaho. Pero most likely conduct-kan jud nato nj syag profiling no para mahibaw-an nato ang extent sa iyang operation,” Ortiz said.

(We already conducted a follow-up operation. But I cannot yet divulge the details so as not to compromise our work.  But most likely, we will do profiling in order for us to determine the extent of his operations.)

Ortiz suspects that Kempoy was part of a big drug group considering the volume of shabu that was confiscated from his possession. 

Related Story: P30M worth of ‘shabu’ seized from buy-bust turned armed encounter in Mambaling

/ dcb