CITY OF SAN JOSE DEL MONTE, Bulacan — An armed suspected drug dealer was killed while his companion managed to escape after engaging lawmen manning a police checkpoint in a firefight in Barangay Muzon here Wednesday night.
In a report to Bulacan police director Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat Jr., San Jose Del Monte (SJDM ) city police chief, Supt. Fitz Macariola, identified the slain suspect as Baltazar Conrado Jr., 30, resident of Towerville, Barangay Minuyan here, while his cohort, who managed to escape, remained unidentified as of Thursday afternoon.
Macariola said the armed encounter ensued when the suspects tried to evade the checkpoint conducted by elements of San Jose Del Monte City Police Station, together with a team from the PNP-Highway Patrol Group along along F. Halili Road in Barangay Muzon around 11:30 p.m.
According to Macariola, personnel of the SJDM City Police Station, together with elements of Bulacan Highway Patrol Group, were conducting checkpoint operation, when they tried to flag down the suspects on board a motorcycle.
Macariola said the two suspects tried to evade the checkpoint, drew unidentified handguns and fired at the police officers.
“This prompted the police to retaliate which resulted in the neutralization of Conrado, one of the suspects, while his unidentified cohort managed to escape, heading towards the dark, grassy portion of the road,” he said.
Macariola said Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) elements of the Bulacan Crime Laboratory recovered one caliber .38 pistol loaded with two live ammunition and three fired cartridge cases; 11 small heat sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected “shabu”; and a driver’s license.
The recovered pieces of evidence were brought to the Crime Laboratory Office for examination. (Emil Gamos/PNA)
