2 drug suspects die in buy-bust

One of them was a barangay chief

ORMOC CITY, Philippines — Two suspected drug personalities, one of them a barangay chairman, were killed during a buy-bust operation carried out by regional and city anti-drug police operatives at Barangay Punta in Ormoc City at around 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Authorities identified the slain suspects as Eric Enecio, in his mid 30s and son of a prominent family in the city, and Peter Ablen, 41, barangay chairman of District 16 and a cook by profession.

The main target of the buy-bust was Enecio, who was reportedly listed by the police as a level-2 “high value target.”

The buy-bust was implemented by operatives of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU)-Region 8, led by Senior Inspector Dino Goles and supervised by Superintendent Harry Sucayre, chief of the RDEU-8, and personnel of the Ormoc City Police Office (OCPO)-Police Station 3, led by its OIC, Sr. Insp. Parangan.

Police Station 3 blotter stated that Enecio and Ablen “fired at the police operatives when the buy-bust was announced.” It added that, after the “shootout,” the two wounded suspects were immediately brought to the Ormoc District Hospital where they were however declared dead on arrival.

In a body search done at the hospital on the two fatalities, the police reported recovering several pieces of sachets containing “white crystalline powder suspected as shabu,” marked money to include P15,000 in “counterfeit” bills, personal belongings, and an empty holster on the waist of Enecio.

From the body of Ablen, the police reported recovering a magazine of a .45-caliber pistol loaded with seven bullets, seven sachets containing “suspected shabu,” and money.

Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered from the scene of the “shootout” a .45-caliber Colt pistol (serial no. 476201) loaded with six live bullets and one more jammed in the chamber, 13 empty cartridges of a 9mm pistol, three empty cartridges of an M16 rifle, and one sachet of shabu.

The police also impounded a Toyota Grandia, taken from the scene, with temporary plate no. 1201-0100744 “for safekeeping.”

The family of Enecio did not issue any statement to the media, but Ablen’s family denied that the barangay chairman was involved in drugs. A cousin, who requested anonymity, added that Ablen was a police asset.

The family of Ablen was also angry at the police’s claim that he fought back, insisting that he was partially paralyzed after a stroke and could not possibly fire a gun. They also believed that Ablen was also targeted because he knew too much already.

Senior Supt. Ceazar Biso, director of the OCPO, meanwhile said he believed that members of the City Drug Enforcement Unit are due for revamp and are asking for clearance from the regional director. He clarified that “successful drug bust” was actually carried out the regional unit.

There were unconfirmed reports reaching The Freeman saying that there were two city policemen who were with Enecio and Ablen when the buy-bust happened, but the two escaped. Biso neither denied nor confirmed this information.

Biso added that there was no need for Ormoc to be alarmed about a resurgence of drugs because “in a scale of 1-10, mga 2 to 3 pa ang drug prevalence dito.” He however promised an intensified anti-drugs operation, as he also wanted Ormoc to maintain its status as the “safest city” in the country, for one and a half years now. (FREEMAN)