Drug suspect in Palawan town killed in buy-bust

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines – A drug suspect was killed in a buy-bust operation on Sunday evening, January 8, in Bataraza, a town in Southern Palawan.

Reports from Bataraza Municipal Police Station identified the suspect as Daniel Acob, alias Naning, the first casualty of Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against drugs in the province.

Police Senior Inspector Romerico Remo, along with Provincial Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force Group (PAIDSOTFG) and Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC) personnel, launched the operation around 6:00 pm at Sitio Macadam, Barangay Rio Tuba.

Acob tried to elude arrest by running into his house while firing his caliber .45-caliber pistol at the approaching policemen. The operating team sensed danger and fired back, hitting the suspect.

Acob was immediately rushed to Rio Tuba Nickel Foundation, Inc. (RTNFI) Hospital but was later declared dead at 6:20 p.m. by the attending physician.

Recovered from the scene were 2 heat-sealed plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu,” and live .45 caliber ammunition, among others.

Bataraza Vice Mayor Kennedy A. Jaafar, certifying himself as the representative of the family, withdrew Acob’s body at the RTNFI Hospital morgue, saying the autopsy and paraffin examination was against Islam. – Rappler.com