GENERAL SANTOS City — An alleged “big time” drug pusher was killed in an anti-drug operation launched by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA 12) in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat on Monday night.
Gil Cesario Castro, PDEA Region 12 director, said yesterday suspect Ian Belmonte was gunned down by their operatives after attempting to fire a handgun at them during a buy-bust operation at a lodging house in Barangay EJC Montilla at around 7 pm.
He said the suspect initially sold a sachet of suspected shabu worth P500 to a PDEA 12 agent who posed as a buyer.
After noticing the presence of their operatives, he said Belmonte resisted and reportedly tried to flee from the area.
When eventually cornered, Castro said the suspect drew a handgun and tried to fire at the operatives, prompting them to shoot him.
The official said Belmonte sustained two gunshot wounds on the chest and was immediately rushed to a local hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
PDEA 12 operatives recovered from the suspect’s possession three small plastic sachets and a large pack containing suspected shabu worth around P400,000, various drug paraphernalia, P500 marked bill used in the buy-bust and a homemade handgun.
Castro said the slain suspect is included the area’s drug watch list and believed linked to an illegal drug syndicate operating in the region.
He said they subjected Belmonte to more than a week of surveillance operations prior to the buy-bust on Monday night.
The suspect had reportedly used various lodging houses in his illegal drug activities, he said.
“When we first worked on his case, we monitored him moving from various places in this city, South Cotabato and in Tacurong City,” he said.
The official said they are currently tracking down a number of drug personalities in the region in line with their continuing intensified campaign against the illegal drug trade.
Castro, who only assumed post earlier this month as PDEA 12 regional director, earlier said their operations this year will focus on “high-value” drug personalities in the area. (pna)
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