Shooting incident, anti-drug operations in Cebu to be investigated: Albayalde

October 5, 2018

The Philippine National Police ( PNP) said Friday it will investigate reports that 15 people were killed in anti-drug operations and in a shooting incident in Cebu Thursday.

"Yes," said PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde in an interview at dzMM when asked if this will be looked into.

"At this time, there is no comprehensive report from our regional director there," he added.

News reports from Cebu said 15 were killed, with seven from a shooting incident but Cebu police said only the seven fatalities were confirmed.

In a report Thursday,  a synchronized anti-drug operation took place in Cebu which ended noon of that day. " All personnel were all accounted for and no police personnel were wounded in action or killed in action," it said.

Served were 82 search warrants and 48 buy-bust operations were done by police.

The shooting incident took place on Thursday at 3:50 am at Ayala Heights, Barangay Malubog. Five persons inside a sports utility vehicle were shot to death while two were injured and brought to Cebu City Medical Center by responding barangay officials.

Guns and ammunition, plus two big packs of white crystalline substance were among the items recovered by police.

The two injured victims, Charmaine Puran and Antonio Belande, told police they were on a motorcyle when a van blocked their way and told them to get inside.

They said they were blindfolded, tied with a plastic tie and brought to Ayala Heights. They were told to leave, said Puran who added a female told them not to do anything rash.

Belande told police said he was thinking of escaping when he saw a cliff but he jumped when he heard a burst of gunfire.

He said he and Puran sought help from someone who brought them to Barangay Malobog captain Dennis Dabuco who brought them to a hospital. DMS