A SUSPECTED drug dealer involved in multiple robberies was killed after he tried to fight elements of the Sta. Ana Police Station during a buy-bust in Sitio San Roque, Gotamco, Leon Garcia, on Monday, Aug. 14.
Police identified the suspect as Mark Anthony Mendoza Bautista, a resident of Rosemarie Street, Barangay Tomas Monteverde, Agdao District.
According to the police, the suspect sold P16,000 worth of illegal drugs to an undercover agent.
However, the suspect realized that he was dealing with the police, so he allegedly pulled out his .38 revolver and fired his gun. The arresting law enforcers retaliated and he fell down.
Bautista was brought to the Southern Philippines Medical Center but was declared dead on arrival.
Recovered from the crime scene were his .38 revolver with three fired cartridge cases and a live bullet, two fired cartridge cases believed to belong to a 9mm pistol, a P1,000 bill, and 15 printed buy-bust P1,000 bills.
Authorities also recovered another sachet of shabu weighing 10.92 grams with a market street value of P174,000 from the suspect’s possession.
Captain Hazel Tuazon, the Davao City Police Office spokesperson, said the suspect was classified as a top-six high-value individual at the city level.
She said the suspect was part of the R.A.T. TUGIS personality for being involved in a series of robbery incidents. He was jailed on Oct. 27, 2019, based on the warrant of arrest for robbery issued by RTC Branch 16.
