A police officer was injured during the arrest of two persons in a buy-bust operation in Sitio Magkinigkig, Brgy. Tan-awan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, July 2.
Avlie Taco, alias “Toto”, 42, and Joseph Sapu-an, 22, were arrested in an operation that led to an armed encounter that left PSSgt. Iric Montoyo injured on his right arm, the police reported.
Taco is listed as No. 6 on the provincial-level and No. 1 on the city-level drug priority watch list of the police, while Sapu-an is a street-level drug target.
Recovered from the suspects were 18 sachets of suspected shabu weighing 20 grams with an estimated street drug price of P136,000, the police said.
Also recovered from them were an improvised glass tooter, a .45 caliber pistol loaded with one live ammunition, a magazine with nine ammunition, a .22 caliber revolver with five live ammunition, a motorcycle, and other non-drug evidence.
The suspects are now under police detention while documents are being prepared for the inquest proceedings.*