CAMP JUAN VILLAMOR, Bangued, Abra – A police major and a suspected drug trader were killed while another lawman was wounded in a shoot-out during an attempted drug buy-bust operation in Bangued town before noon on Wednesday.

Shot dead was Chief Inspector Datne Gacadan, chief of the Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operation Task Force (AIDSOTF) of the Abra Police Provincial Office.

Senior Supt. Alexander Pumecha, Abra police provincial director, identified the dead drug trader as a certain Aga Ako, a Muslim from Manmentao, Lanao del Sur.

Wounded in the shoot-out that happened at 11:30 a.m. at Benesa Compound, Zone 1 in Bangued was PO2 Renato Guerrero, a member of the AIDSOTF of the police.

“We are saddened with what happened to our brave police officer. We will continue the drive against illegal drugs and track down the leaders of this syndicate in this province,” Pumecha said.

Pumecha disclosed that before the shoot-out, Gacadan received reports about the proliferation of shabu in the capital of Abra, particularly in the different schools.

Aga Ako was identified as the drug trader operating in the area.

Pumecha said that Gacadan sought reinforcement from the 1601st Police Mobile Group for the arrest of the suspect.

When the reinforcement arrived, the suspect ran while exchanging gunfires with the policemen. One of the bullets fired by the suspect hit Gacadan in the stomach.

The wounded Gacadan was rushed by his comrades to an adjacent hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

The other policemen continued to chase the drug trader till the latter was cornered at Benesa Compound, Zone, 1, Bangued, Pumecha said.

Though already cornered, the suspect ignored calls for him to lay down and surrender and continued firing at the lawmen. In the ensuring gunbattle, Ako died in a hail of bullets.

Police recovered one Caliber 45 Mark 4 near the body of the dead suspect.