POLICE killed a suspected drug pusher in an alleged shootout in Barangay Taboc Poblacion, Danao City at 1:50 p.m. yesterday.
Senior Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos, the city police chief, identified the suspect as Reynaldo Mansueto, a high-value target who can allegedly dispose of 25 to 50 grams of shabu per week.
Mansueto’s alleged cohort, Gilbert Galo, was arrested along with Jhon-Jhon Arnado, councilor of Barangay Ibabao, Sogod, and Jundril Belonguil.
Arnado and Belonguil were caught sniffing shabu inside the house of Mansueto.
The operatives seized 5.32 grams of shabu worth P62,776 from Mansueto and Galo.
Mansueto’s brother, Marcos, died after he allegedly engaged the police in a firefight last July 17.
Batobalonos said the Mansuetos were underlings of alleged Danao City-based drug kingpin Alvaro “Barok” Alvaro, who is now detained at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Cebu City.
After Marcos’s death, Batobalonos said they thought Mansueto would stop selling shabu. But they found out he was still in the business.
Mansueto reportedly often carried a .45 pistol which he’d show to his customers. He allegedly threatened to throw a grenade at the police station.
During the buy-bust, the operatives caught Galo first. Mansueto ran inside his house and police chased him.
Mansueto started shooting and Batobalonos’s team retaliated, hitting the suspect in different parts of his body.
The suspect died inside his house, which doubles as a drug den, where police caught Arnado and Belonguil.
Arnado admitted he is a junkie, but denied he is into selling shabu.
