Sachets of shabu seized in Madapdap Resettlement buy-bust. Contributed photo
MABALACAT CITY – Robbery. Drug-bust. Shootout. All in a week in this component city, amid giant strides the city government is making in its fight against Covid-19, highlighted by zero incidents in over a dozen days.
On Monday, a Korean mini-mart in Barangay San Francisco was held up by a man who posed as a customer carting off the store’s P10,000 cash sales.
In a report to the Pampanga police, city acting police chief Lt. Col. Heryl Bruno said victim Liezel Cayabyab, 35, of Lawi, Capas, Tarlac, and cashier at Jeoung Su Korean mini-mart told investigators that a man wearing a pink jacket with red helmet and face mask entered the store armed with a .9 mm pistol and declared the robbery. Aside from the cash sales, the thief took Cayabyab’s mobile phone worth P7,000.
The suspect reportedly fired the handgun, almost hitting the victim’s right cheek, before escaping on a motorcycle. The victim was rushed to the Mabalacat District Hospital for treatment.
Last Saturday, over P700,000 worth of shabu were seized in a sting operation in Madapdap Resettlement, Barangay Dapdap.
Bruno’s report to PRO3 director Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay said the city police, along with the regional and provincial drug enforcement units arrested one Alexis Morete, 43, during the buy-bust and seized from him nine plastic sachets containing shabu valued at P714,000, a cellular phone, a black pouch, and the marked and boodle money.
Police said Morete will be charged with violations of Section 5 and 11, Article II of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The previous Monday, Nov. 29, a suspect in a robbery was killed in a shootout with police along PLDT Road, Barangay Camachiles while his cohort eluded arrest.
In his report to Pampanga police acting director Col. Robin King Sarmiento, Bruno said his men responded to a complaint from one Edwin Casayuran, 50, of 1546 Gasdam, Barangay Dau that two men robbed him at gunpoint.
The police, accompanied by the victim, conducted pursuit operations until they saw the suspects, positively identified by the victim, about to board a motorcycle.
Police said that as the lawmen were about to apprehend them, the two suspects pulled out their guns and fired at the police but missed. This prompted the police to return fire, hitting one of the suspects as the other escaped on foot.
The wounded suspect was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Recovered at the crime scene was a loaded gun, three fired bullets, two plastic sachets of shabu, a motorcycle, two wallets, and two cell phones. With media reports
