AN illegal drug buy-bust operation in Cagayan de Oro City turned fatal when three suspects were killed in an alleged gunfight against the raiding team at 8:45 pm Tuesday, this week.
The incident happened at a pad located at Jasmin street, Barangay Carmen of the said city.
Expidito Cardona, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) provincial officer, identified the victims as Henrylle Go, 29, residing at Jasmine Street of the said barangay; Deovern Jay Uy, 35, a resident of Barangay Camaman-an, both of the said city; and Aramina Hizon of Lower Jasaan, Misamis Oriental.
Go and Uy were killed on the spot while Hizon died yesterday at 11 am in her hospital bed.
All the suspects succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds to the different parts of their bodies and heads.
After the incident, authorities were able to seize three sachets containing suspected shabu and another 14 pieces of the same weighing 85 grams with an estimated total street value of P578,000.
In an interview, Cardona revealed that before the operation, his office had already conducted surveillance on the suspects for three weeks.
He said they agreed to buy from Go, who was their primary target, to buy the illegal drugs worth P102,000 which is equivalent to three big sachets.
“Sa diha nami sa area, si Go ang migawas ug kalit lang namusil sa amo. Mao ‘tong mibalos pud mi. Nahitabo dayon ang exchange of fire for three minutes,” Cardona said.
He said as a result of the shooting three of our agents were also slightly wounded but he clarified that it was caused by splinters.
Cardona said that when it was time to enter the pad they found another two bloodied bodies lying on the floor.
He said seeing that one of the victims (later identified as Hizon), was still breathing, she was rushed to the nearest hospital.
When Cardona was asked by reporters whether the three suspects were armed during the shooting, he was not able to answer categorically.
Instead, he replied that it was only the personnel of the Scene Of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) that will determine any foul play.
One of the media personalities who were able to respond to the area was able to get a picture of a .45 caliber pistol near the two slain suspects (Uy and Hizon) inside the said house.
Cardona said, his men also found a rifle hanging on the wall of the said room.
He could not also answer how many gunshot wounds the suspects received.
Cardona said the incident was unfavorable to their office considering that they could no longer conduct an investigation on the dead suspects and their intelligence gathering will stop.
As of this writing, it was not yet known whether the family members of the suspects will file a complaint against the PDEA agents.
Cardona assures the public that the said operation was legitimate and it was also highly coordinated with barangay officials, the Department of Justice, and media personalities.
“I can assure you that there will be no cover-up in the investigation. We wore body cameras during the operation and if the court will ask for it then we will comply,” Cardona said.
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