3 dead, 6 hurt in drug buy-bust gone wrong

ORMOC CITY, Philippines – Three people, including a dentist, were killed and six others were wounded in a police drug buy-bust operation that went wrong near a cockfighting arena here on Tuesday afternoon.

The buy-bust team is now being investigated for possible procedural lapses that resulted in the bloody incident, said Senior Superintendent Jose Macanas, city police chief.

Its eight members, including police station head Chief Inspector Edgardo Encina and his deputy, Senior Inspector Harris Rebato, have been relieved of their posts.

The fatalities were identified as Dr. Jay Movilla, 32, president of the Philippine Dental Association-Ormoc chapter who was just elected president of the Ormoc Host Lions Club on Monday; Wilfredo Alberto, a member of the city government’s Civil Security Unit; and Sim Serrano, the subject of the drug buy-bust.

Among those wounded was Movilla’s colleague Rodolfo Villar, 63, who had to undergo an operation to get the bullet lodged in his left chest. Villar, former chairman of Barangay Naungan here, is still at the intensive care unit of the Ormoc Doctors Hospital.

The five others are Alex Oliveros, 40; Joey Liporado, 38, who was hit in the right cheek with the bullet exiting through his left cheek; Gonzalo Mindaros, 57; Rene Ejares; and Melodia Mangubat, 32, who just arrived at the cockpit arena to fetch her father when the shooting happened. Mangubat is also reportedly in critical condition with the bullet lodged in her back.

More people reportedly suffered injuries in the stampede that ensued during the shooting, but have not sought medical attention.

SPO1 Renato Singcol, a member of the buy-bust team, said Serrano ran toward the cockpit in Barangay Tambulilid and started shooting indiscriminately, forcing them to fire back.

According to a police report, three policemen were “forced to engage in order to neutralize the suspect and to avoid further harm to the civilians inside the cockpit as some were already visibly hit.”

Asked why they proceeded with the buy-bust near a populated area, Singcol said they never thought that Serrano had a gun, as he was only wearing shorts. The team belatedly found out that he had a gun holstered in front of his shorts.