GENERAL SANTOS CITY – An employee of the Department of Health (DOH) in Sarangani province, who allegedly doubled as a drug pusher, was killed while four others were arrested in separate law enforcement operations here on Thursday.

Col. Gilbert Tuzon, acting city police director, identified the slain suspect as Irish Lee Escario Palabria, 30, who was tagged as a level 1 high-value target of the Police Regional Office-12’s drug enforcement unit.

Tuzon said Palabria, a resident of Doña Soledad subdivision in Barangay Labangal, reportedly resisted arrest during a buy-bust operation along Espina Road around 8 a.m.

During the transaction, he said the suspect sold a sachet of suspected shabu worth PHP500 to a police officer who posed as a buyer.

Tuzon said the latter, who was aboard a motorcycle, suddenly drew a .45 caliber handgun and opened fire after noticing the presence of other operatives. He said the suspect was fatally wounded in the ensuing firefight and declared dead upon arrival at the Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Hospital.

Recovered from the suspect were 21 sachets of suspected shabu, PHP500 marked bill, and the .45 caliber pistol with three live ammunition, the official said.

“He is considered a top drug pusher and had been under surveillance by our operatives,” Tuzon said in a report.

An employee of the DOH-run Regional Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center based in Barangay Kawas, Alabel town in Sarangani confirmed on the phone that Palabria was a staff of the facility.

But the source said he was not aware of the suspect’s current employment status and involvement in illegal drug activities.  

In Barangay Bula, meanwhile, two alleged drug pushers were arrested by police personnel in separate entrapment operations around 1:30 a.m.

Lt. Omar Baret said they arrested suspect Antonio Gutang, 39, along Ariola Street after selling a sachet of suspected shabu worth PHP500 to an undercover operative.

He said they later arrested the suspect’s cohort, identified as Nerio Cabradilla, 40, and a member of the village’s Barangay Covid-19 Control Force.

Recovered from Cabradilla were seven more sachets of suspected shabu while Gutang yielded two sachets.

On the other hand, the Makar police station arrested suspects Michael Pagabangan, 36, and Norsalam Gabriel, 36, in two other buy-bust operations.

Maj. Ananias Vasquez, Makar police station chief, said Pagabangan was arrested around 6:30 a.m. at the vicinity of EMB Homes, Barangay Labangal after selling a sachet of suspected shabu worth PHP500 to a police officer who posed as a buyer.

Gabriel, meanwhile, was cornered around 7:30 a.m. after also selling a sachet of suspected shabu worth PHP500 during an entrapment operation in Purok 7-Lanton, Barangay Apopong.

Tuzon said the recovered pieces of evidence were submitted by the city police to the regional crime laboratory for examination and valuation.

The four arrested pushers will be charged with violation of Sections 5 and 11 or selling and possession of dangerous drugs, under Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)