Camp Olivas, Pampanga—About 32 fugitives with standing criminal cases in various courts in Central Luzon were arrested by police trackers team in separate places in the region over the weekend, authorities here announced Monday.
Central Luzon police director Brig. Gen. Valeriano De Leon said most of the arrested fugitives who went into hiding after posting bail are facing illegal drug cases, gambling, theft, and other minor offenses.
De Leon said the fugitives were turned over to the courts that issued the warrants of arrest before sending them to different detention facilities in the region.
“The campaign against wanted persons will remain enforced during the holiday season as this is the perfect time to get them,” said De Leon.
Meanwhile, a suspected illegal drugs trafficker was gunned down by anti-narcotics operatives after he resisted arrest following a buy-bust operation at Villa Barosa, Barangay Dolores, City of San Fernando Saturday.
Den Wil Mallari succumbed to gunshot wounds in different parts of his body when he traded shots with lawmen, said De Leon in a statement.
Police Lt. Colonel John Lopez Clark, chief City of San Fernando police, said Mallari was placed under surveillance by the police for his alleged involvement in illegal drugs trade in Pampanga and nearby areas in Central Luzon.
Mallari, a resident of Bgy Calantas, Floridablanca, Pampanga, earlier closed deal to a poseur buyer cop and agreed to meet at Villa Barosa where the shootout happened moments later.
A high value target, Mallari has more than 190 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) worth P1.2 million when neutralized by the police following an exchange of gunfire.
The suspect expired while on transit to nearby hospital, the police said.
Confiscated from the suspect were a caliber .45 pistol, a hand grenade, and illegal drugs paraphernalia including improvised glass “tooter” — a device use to sniff shabu — a roll of aluminum foil, digital weighing scale and scissors.
Responding cops recovered bullets and spent shells for different calibers at the crime scene.