A man police considered the most wanted person in Talisay City, southern Cebu was shot dead by police trying to serve an arrest warrant past 1 p.m. yesterday.
Richie Minguito Daan was wearing a bullet-proof vest but it didn’t save him from the bullets fired by operatives of the Talisay City Police Station, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB).
Police arrested Arnel Tabar, who allegedly connived with Daan in an illegal drug transaction.
Insp. Windell Abellana said police tried to serve an arrest warrant against Daan when they learned that the man was to meet someone for an illegal drug transaction in front of the Talisay Fish Port in barangay Tangke.
To surprise their target, the arresting team rushed to the area in a civilian vehicle.
Police waited for Daan outside the gated fish port.
Abellana said when Daan arrived, they alighted from the vehicle to serve the arrest warrant.
The suspect ran and tried to draw a gun tucked in his waist, prompting the police to open fire.
The place was secluded.
No bystanders were hit by stray bullets.
Abellana said police learned that Daan was involved in carnapping and gun-for-hire activities.
Police said they seized from Daan’s possession a .45 caliber pistol, a KG-9 sub-machine pistol and a grenade.
Jonnifer Ioquinario Jr., security guard of the fish port, said he didn’t expect a shootout would happen when Tabar arrived followed by a Ford vehicle with policemen on board.
“I thought they had some business with the fish port. I was shocked when shots were fired,” he said in Cebuano.