PALAYAN CITY – A suspected drug pusher turned hostile upon learning he was dealing with an undercover policeman in a buy–bust operation was killed in Barangay Malate here at about 11 p.m. Thursday.
Police said John Pablo Francisco, of Sumacab Este, Cabanatuan City, “pulled up a gun and traded gunshots with the operating team” after he apparently sensed he was dealing with a policeman.
City police chief Lt. Col. Renato Morales said forensic investigators recovered from the suspects four heat sealed sachets of shabu, a P500 bill, and a .38 revolver with three live bullets.
Police also seized a tricycle used by the suspect, Morales said.
In Cabanatuan City, anti-drug operatives arrested Jacqueline Tadeo, 28, and Christian Pineda, 27, both of Purok Cantarilla, Barangay Valdefuente in a buy-bust operation shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday.
Lt. Col. Arnel Dial, Cabanatuan police chief, said an undercover cop managed to buy a sachet of sachet using a P500 dusted bill from the suspects.
During the arrests, however, police recovered sevenmore sachets of illegal drugs.
Tadeo, according to Dial, was included in police’s drug watch list.
All the suspects were facing charges for violation of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law.
