PDEA intercepts two suspected drug traffickers in Ipil; shootout leaves one wounded, half a kilo of shabu seized worth ₱3.4M. (PDEA Photo)
Zamboanga City — A routine buy-bust in Ipil turned into a tense highway chase Tuesday night after two suspected drug traffickers tried to escape PDEA agents, authorities said.
The suspects, identified as alyas “Diego” from Cotabato and alyas “Al” from Cavite, had sensed they were dealing with undercover officers and fled the scene in a vehicle.
The pursuit escalated along the provincial highway, ending near the boundary of the province and Zamboanga City. “Instead of surrendering when cornered, the suspects chose to fire upon our officers,” a source from the PDEA operating unit said.
Agents returned fire. In the exchange, Diego was wounded and rushed to a nearby hospital under tight security, while Al was arrested and is now in PDEA custody. A search of their vehicle recovered about half a kilo of suspected shabu, neatly packaged and with an estimated street value of ₱3.4 million.
Both suspects face charges under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (R.A. 9165) and Aggravated Assault upon Agents of a Person in Authority.
Authorities have warned the public that the operation underscores the risks involved in illegal drug transactions. They lauded the coordination between PDEA units in Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga City. (with reports from Ely Dumaboc)
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