ORMOC CITY– A man, considered to be an emerging drug lord, and his companion were killed in a shoot-out after operatives of the drug enforcement group (PDEG) special operating unit (SOU) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) conducted a buy-bust operation that resulted in the seizure of alleged shabu valued at P1.36 million.
Killed were Paolo Ceasar Pabingwit, 42, identified by the operatives as an emerging drug lord, and his companion Jocel Renan Cabahug, legal age during the sting operation at about 1:45 am in Barangay Cogon, this city.
The police said that while they were about to purchase shabu to the two suspects, Cabuhug drew his firearm of unknown calibre and shot Pat. Junrey Gabule and Police Lt. Arwin Perez who both were able to evade and retaliated resulting to the death of the two suspects.
Ormoc rescue group arrived from the crime scene led by Alfred Salas, duty nurse from the City Health Office and declared the two suspects dead.
Recovered from the room where the shooting happened was a box that contained several sachets containing white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu initially declared to be weighing 130 grams with a street value of P884, 000.
However, based on the crime laboratory result, the seized prohibited drug weigh 200 grams with a commercial value of P1.36 million.
Also recovered were a .45 caliber pistol and an improvised shotgun, three fired bullets, six fire cartridges, nine pieces of ammunition, and P18, 520 cash.
Lt. Ramil Caldona, in-charge of the Police Station 1, said that Pabingwit was starting to create a name in the illegal drug trade here.
His name surfaced after being tagged as a drug source by the personalities that were previously arrested.
The latest buy –bust suspect, a tricycle driver, also pointed Pabingwit as his drug supplier which prompted the police to work for his capture.
(ROBERT DEJON/ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
