Drug suspect wounded in shootout

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines  – A suspected drug trafficker was wounded after he and his companions engaged police officers in a shootout in this city yesterday. 

Suspect Norman Nares was taken to the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center for treatment, while his companions identified as Akiya Velasco and Charlie Andawi were brought to the crime laboratory for drug tests.

The suspects resisted when agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and members of the city police arrested them during a sting, according to Superintendent Cherry Fajardo, spokesperson for the Cordillera police.

Seized from the suspects were a plastic sachet said to contain shabu worth P10,000, drug paraphernalia, two motorcycles and a handgun.