ONE of two members of a suspected drug syndicate operating in Central Visayas was killed after he attempted to fight off police officers who were conducting a buy-bust at the old Cebu Chinese Cemetery in Barangay Carreta, Cebu City on Friday dawn, June 17, 2022.Mark Ronald Matig-a, also known as Onad, died after sustaining gunshot wounds he incurred during a firefight with operatives of the Regional Drug Enforcement Group (RDEG) led by Maj. Alejandro Batobalonos.But Matig-a’s companion, identified only as June “Ejay” Tuñacao, was able to escape capture.RDEG 7 operatives recovered around three kilos of suspected shabu worth P20 million along with a high-powered KG-9 rifle with 13 bullets. The police recovered from Matig-a three kilos of suspected shabu worth more than P20 million and a KG-9 rifle with 13 bullets and one spent shell, a lighter and buy-bust money.Batobalonos said just before the firefight occurred, one of their operatives who was posing as a buyer approached Matig-a and Tunacao to set up the arrest.But Matig-a, who noticed that the buyer was a police officer, suddenly pulled out his firearm and started shooting at the latter, forcing Batobalonos and his fellow operatives to retaliate. Matig-a died on the spot.The police officer who served as the buyer luckily survived the encounter due to the bulletproof vest he wore at the time of the operation.High-value targetLt. Colonel Lynel Pasquin, head of the Police Drug Enforcement Group Visayas, told SunStar Cebu that Matig-a served as Tuñacao’s aide in his illegal drug operations. The two can reportedly dispose of at least 500 grams of shabu every week.The two often conduct their illegal operations within Metro Cebu areas, he added.Pasquin said they conducted a two-week surveillance on the two men before RDEG 7 initiated the operation. (BBT / TPT)