PDEA BUY-BUST IN ERMITA TURNS BLOODY

A PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 buy-bust turned bloody
Friday night when a civilian asset was shot while escorting two
arrested drug suspects in Barangy Ermita, Cebu City.

Bernabe Espanola, 46, a native of Buenavista, Bohol, is now in
critical condition at a private hospital in Cebu City because of a
bullet wound in the upper back, said PDEA 7 spokesman Jessie Tabanao
yesterday.

The slug that got partly embedded in Espanola's spinal column was
successfully removed in a surgery hours after the buy-bust.

"But he is still in the hospital's ICU (intensive care unit)," added
Tabanao.

Money aid

The Dangerous Drugs Board, through Undersecretary Paul Clarence
Oaminal, assured to extend financial assistance to the wounded
civilian asset.

He said the team was already escorting arrested the drug suspect,
Sherwin Entera, 21, and his mother, Maria Lilia, 46, to a waiting PDEA
vehicle when a shot rang out past 9 p.m. along Quezon Blvd., Sitio
Bato Carbon, Ermita.

The team led by Intelligence Officer 4 Julius Navales, PDEA 7 Plans
and Operations chief, arrested Sherwin in a buy-bust minutes prior to
the shooting.

Local sympathizers apparently tried to block the anti-narcotics
operatives from leaving the site, closely tailing them on their way to
their vehicle.

Tabanao believes that one of the local sympathizers reportedly shot
Espanola, who was at the tail end.

"When we looked back, he (the victim) was already slumped on the
ground, prompting us to look for cover," he said.

He said the PDEA 7 team was placed at a disadvantage, as they could
only fire warning shots, while the gunman fired directly at them.

The standoff reportedly took about several minutes until they finally
took the wounded Espanola to the service vehicle and sped off, Tabanao
said.

Entera was first taken to Cebu City Medical Center and was later
transferred to a private hospital.

'Drug haven'

The incident happened just a few meters from the police station in
Ermita, a known drug haven in Cebu City.

A team of policemen from the Carbon Police Station also went to the
crime scene based on the initial report they received about a
commotion in the area.

Seized from the young Entera were 10 medium packs of shabu, totaling
P8,000, and three small packs worth P300 each.

Tabanao said they also arrested Entera's mother for conspiracy and
interceding in a lawful anti-drug operation.

The team of Carbon policemen led by SPO3 Eugenio Teves recovered two
empty shells of caliber .45, one empty shell of caliber 40, four empty
shells of M16 and a slug.

Homicide Section Chief Mario Monilar told Sun.Star Cebu that his
office is still coordinating with the PDEA 7 for further
investigation. (GC/With a report from JTG)