BACOLOD City A suspected drug dealer died while a police officer was injured in a shootout during a buy-bust operation in Sagay City, Negros Occidental Friday morning.
Police identified the fatality as Leobon Charita of Barangay Old Sagay, and the wounded officer as Senior Police Officer 1 Ronie Sanico.
Chief Insp. Antonio Benitez, acting city police chief, said the policeman, who was hit on the abdomen, is now out of danger.
The report said personnel of the Sagay City Polices Drug Enforcement Unit conducted the operation against Charita at about 11:15 a.m.
The suspect, a high-value target, fired at Sanico when he sensed that he was dealing with a police officer. Sanico was wearing a bulletproof vest.
Other police officers then fired at the suspect, who was brought to the Lopez District Farmers Hospital, where he was declared dead.
Operatives recovered Charitas caliber .38 revolver with ammunition, along with four big and five small sachets of suspected shabu, as well as a sachet of the same substance, which was the buy-bust item, and a PHP500 bill.
Also in northern Negros, eight persons were arrested during a buy-bust at Kalye Onse, Barangay Mambulac in Silay City at about 2:50 p.m. on Thursday.
The suspects were identified as Noriel Peromingan, 21, and Geniveb Solano, 35, both target list personalities; and Ana Margarita Solano, 31, a high-value target. The others were Alvin Rey Barbas, 35; Audie Ferrer, 35; Danilo Jimera, 53; Roy Toledo, 43; and Julieta Taño, 40, all newly-identified personalities.
Anti-drug operatives of the Silay City Police seized five medium and nine small sachets of suspected shabu weighing 20 grams worth PHP300,000, along with the PHP4,000 buy-bust money. (PNA)
