2 drug dealers killed, another arrested in South Cotabato
KORONADAL CITY --- Anti-narcotics agents shot dead two recalcitrant drug peddlers and arrested another in separate operations Thursday in South Cotabato province.
In a statement Friday, the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office here identified the slain drug traffickers as Orly Abpit and his relative, Jay-ar Abpit.
They died from multiple gunshot wounds sustained in a shootout with agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-12 and police personnel who tried to entrap them at Purok Hechanova in Barangay Poblacion in Polomolok, South Cotabato.
Police Lt. Col. Alex Joe Orcajada, Polomolok municipal police chief, said Friday the duo pulled out handguns from their sling bags and opened fire when they sensed that they were dealing with non-uniformed law-enforcement agents during Thursday’s sting that turned haywire.
Responding police forensic experts found a .38 caliber revolver each beside the cadavers of the suspects and the four sachets of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) they were to sell to agents disguised as drug dependents.
The incident preceded the arrest of Clint John Peñaranda Caligdong after turning over P34,000 worth of shabu to police agents during a tradeoff at Purok Poticar in Barangay General Paulino Santos, Koronadal City.
He was immediately frisked and cuffed by police agents after selling his illegal merchandise to non-uniformed PDEA-12 agents and personnel of the Koronadal City police and the South Cotabato PPO.
Caligdong is now detained, to be prosecuted for violation of Republic Act 9165, also known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (JOHN UNSON)