Cop killed in clash with drug ring led by ex-cop

A policeman was killed in a shootout with a drug ring led by a former policeman in Floridablanca town in Pampanga province, radio dzRH reported early Saturday. The report said the policeman, initially identified as PO1 Tom Aris Ferrer, was a member of a Floridablanca police team serving a search warrant on the suspects led by former PO2 Emelito Rivera. The police are now conducting a manhunt for Rivera, who managed to escape during the commotion. They arrested at least two of Rivera's companions, who were identified as Flordeliza Pangilinan and Warren Gonzales. Sketchy initial reports indicated the incident took place in Mabical village in Floridablanca, Pampanga. At the time, a joint team of Floridablanca police and the local Criminal Investigation and Detection Group was serving a search warrant on the suspected drug den. But instead of accommodating the police team's request, Rivera and his companions allegedly fired at the police team, hitting and killing Ferrer. During the resulting firefight, Rivera managed to escape. Police recovered from the suspected drug den two improvised pipes, two improvised burners, a roll of aluminum foil, a lighter, plastic sachets, a sachet of marijuana and a tooter. They also recovered nine rounds of ammunition for a cal-.22 firearm, four rounds of ammuniton for a .38-caliber revolver, three rounds ammunition for a .45-caliber pistol, one grenade launcher, and a .22-caliber rifle. - GMANews.TV