CAMP Macabulos, Tarlac – A top drug personality in Tarlac was killed when he engaged in a firefight a team of policemen who were about to arrest him after a buy-bust operation the other night in Barangay San Nicolas, Tarlac City.
Senior Supt. Ritchie Medardo Posadas, acting provincial director of Tarlac Police Office identified the suspect as Justine Adona alias “Burdado”, married and resident of Block 3 in the said place.
Supt. Joel Mendoza, officer-in-charge of Tarlac City Police Station, said they have been looking for the suspect after he was tagged as number one in the list of top drug personalities responsible for the proliferation of illegal drugs in the city.
Mendoza said the suspect died on the spot due to bullet wounds in the body when he confronted his captors in the gun battle to elude arrest.
Members of Tarlac City police drug enforcement unit were about to arrest the suspect when he pulled out a hand gun and fired at the cops at around 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday.
“The suspect realized that he has sold shabu worth Php500 to an undercover cop who acted as poseur-buyer during the drug deal but instead of surrendering he opted to fight his way out which led to his death,” Posadas said.
Posadas said a SOCO team from Tarlac PNP Provincial Crime Laboratory processed the crime scene and recovered the hand gun of the suspect, a cal. 38 revolver without serial number, live bullets for the gun including a sachet of shabu and the mark money used in the buy-bust operation.