BAGUIO CITY – Two people were arrested while a suspected drug personality was able to elude arrest following a brief shootout between the combined police operatives and anti-narcotics agents and the latter’s group at Amistad, barangay Camp 7 here around 2:30 am Thursday.
Senior Superintendent Rolando F. Miranda, officer-in-charge of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) identified the arrested individuals as James Santos Gomez, jobless with no permanent city address and Voni Torres Yuviencco, 33, also jobless while the drug personality that managed to elude arrest was named as Christian Alvar alias Sadiit, a resident of Camp 7, Baguio City.
Initial police investigation showed elements of the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Operations Task Group and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency were conducting surveillance operations against Alvar in the vicinity of his residence when his white Honda CRV arrived in the area.
When the law enforcers tried to go near the vehicle, they were reportedly fired upon by the individuals who were inside the car which resulted to a short exchange of gun shots allowing the drug personality to be able to go inside his house while his companions were left behind.
The police operatives were able to arrest Alvar’s two companions and during the conduct of a follow-up search inside his house, they were able to recover two grams of alleged shabu amounting to P10,000 and a cellphone.
Charges of violation of the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law, resisting arrest, direct assault to an agent of a person in authority among other cases are now being readied for filing against the arrested individuals who are reportedly the cohorts of Alvar in his drug trade.
The local police already launched a manhunt operation against Alvar who is one of the identified drug personalities in the city over the past several years.
By Dexter A. See