2 cops hurt during buy-bust

A police trainee, who acted as poseur-buyer, was beaten by residents and escaped possible death during a drug operation in barangay Calamba, Cebu City last Saturday afternoon, when the gun of an alleged bigtime drug pusher who tried to shoot him misfired.

Before the incident, the group of SPO1 Glenn Largo, PO2 Jonathan de la Cerna, PO2 Joel Lacson and PO1 Benjie Gan were conducting a buy-bust operation against Anabelle Abellana, 40, of Villa Bulsita, Pardo, using Gan as poseur-buyer who bought the shabu at P300.

Pardo Police Station chief, S/Insp. Alexis Relado, said that Abellana brought Gan to Vivencio Balderamo, alias "Junjun", in barangay Calamba and they were followed by his three companions.

When Abellana handed the three sachets of shabu, Gan arrested and handcuffed her but was beaten by the residents.

Gan, assigned at the Pardo police station for his field training and not yet issued with a service firearm, sustained a cut in his eyebrow and bruises in different parts of his body. He identified Balderamo as one of those beating him with a bicycle hitting him in the head.

Largo and company responded and were also beset upon, prompting them to pull out their guns.

Largo, who sustained bruises on his face, shot Balderamo in his knee when he saw him pointing his gun at Gan. Balderamo allegedly tried to shoot Gan but his .45 cal. pistol misfired.

Two backups of Balderamo then arrived and fired their guns at the policemen before running away.

Seized from Balderamo was his .45 cal. and two big packs of shabu. He was brought to Cebu City Medical Center but later asked to be transferred to a private hospital.

Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch chief, Supt. Pablo Labra said that they got an intelligence report that the two backups of Balderamo are policemen assigned in Talisay City, one of them has allegedly been absent without leave for some time now.

Labra said that Balderamo is the seventh most wanted drug personality in Cebu City but allegedly operates in the entire province.

The operation followed the arrest of second most wanted drug personality in Cebu City, Christopher Ocarol, alias "Rikking", in barangay Pasil few days ago. – Gregg M. Rubio with Edwin Ian Melecio of Banat News