Shootout with cops: Jail guard slay suspect killed

CEBU, Philippines — A man who was wanted for shooting a jail guard to death last month was killed in a shootout with police in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City midday yesterday.

The shootout occurred as elements of the Cebu Provincial Police Office-Provincial Intelligence Branch were serving a warrant of arrest against the man, Hamilton Juares, 32.

Juares allegedly resisted arrest and fired shots first, prompting the police to fire back. He was brought to the hospital but did not make it there alive.

Senior Insp. Batobalonos said Juares served as a gunman for drug lords and was the main suspect in the killing of jail guard Jessie Castañares on November 25.

But the warrant the cops were serving yesterday was in relation to an attempted murder case that stemmed from an armed confrontation between Juares, a member of Akrho, and a member of rival group, Tau Gamma, in Toledo City.

Batobalonos said Juares was elusive and often changed the plate number of his motorcycle.

“Amo ni siya gi-surveillance and isa sa iyang buhaton kay ilisan niya ang plate number sa iyang motor inig parking niya. Maro gyud siya. Daghan na ni siya kaso pending pero ang gi-serve sa namo kaning alias warrant gikan sa attempted murder nga kaso niya sa Toledo (We conducted surveillance and we found out that he would change his motorcycle’s plate number. He was wise. He had several cases against him but we were serving the alias warrant in the attempted murder case in Toledo),” Batobalonos said.

Authorities also seized several drug paraphernalia from Juares.

Drug ops

Meanwhile, cops confiscated 18 packs of shabu worth P1.7 million from a newly identified high value target, during an operation in Barangay Luz, Cebu City.

The suspect was identified as Angelo Olimba, a resident of the barangay.

Olimba did not resist arrest.  Mabolo Police chief Dindo Alaras said Olimba’s name surfaced during interrogation with drug suspects arrested earlier.

He said Olimba was a courier but did not reveal his source during initial interrogation.

Olimba is detained at the Mabolo Police Station as police prepare the filing of formal charges against him for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.

To recall, following the millions of shabu hauled in December, the Police Regional Office – 7 recalibrated the amount per gram of shabu. From the previous P11,800 per gram, it is now at P6,500 per gram. (FREEMAN)