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Cop killed in buy-bust op in Cebu after resisting arrest


MANILA/DUMAGUETE CITY - A ranking police official, allegedly one of the protectors of slain drug lord Jeffrey Diaz also known as Jaguar, was killed in a buy-bust operation in Mandaue City, Cebu after he supposedly resisted arrest.

Senior Inspector Raymond Hortezuela, who was just recently appointed as commander of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office's (NORPPO) Camp Francisco Fernandez Jr., was the subject of the buy-bust operation on Sunday around 7:50 p.m. by the combined operatives of the Counter-Intelligence Task Force, Region Special Operations Group 7, and Drug Enforcement Unit of Mandaue City Police Office.

The CITF said the poseur-buyer was able to buy shabu worth P2,000 before he signaled other operatives to arrest the suspect.

Hortezuela, however, resisted arrest and drew a pistol which prompted a shootout with police elements who defended themselves by shooting the subject.

He was brought to Mandaue District Hospital for treatment but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Recovered from the crime scene were a loaded caliber .45 pistol, seven pieces of empty shells, one piece of transparent plastic with 75 pieces of sachet believed to be shabu, two pieces of P1,000 marked bills, cash money amounting to P68,830, and a blue Honda car which the police believe to be a carnapped vehicle.

Another 9-mm pistol with 15 live bullets were also found at the backseat of the car where Hortezuela was shot dead, while five live bullets of the caliber .45 pistol was found on the vehicle arm rest.

Aside from his alleged involvement in illegal drug activities in Cebu City, the CITF said that Hortezuela was reported to have "recycled recovered shabu evidence" when he was assigned at the Guadalupe Police Station.

He was also believed to be the "go-between to some remnants" of Jaguar's group.

‘Unaware’

Senior Superintendent Raul Tacaca, acting director of the NORPPO, told this reporter in an interview Monday in Dumaguete City that he was shocked upon hearing the news of Hortezuela's death.

Tacaca said that he last saw Hortezuela on June 6 when the latter attended the regular staff conference. At noon on the same day, Hortezuela sought permission from him to attend a court hearing in Cebu.

He also maintained that his office was unaware of the slain cop's background and his alleged links to illegal drugs.

"Bago lang kasi siyang na-assign dito. Hindi rin namin alam kung bakit siya na-assign [sa NORPPO]," Tacaca said, adding that he had no knowledge on the intelligence reports on Hortezuela's background.

He added that Hortezuela was only assigned to the NORPPO from the Cebu City Police Office last May 11 and first reported for duty on May 24. Upon his reassignment in Negros Oriental, Hortezuela was appointed as the camp commander of NORPPO's Camp Francisco Fernandez Jr. in Sibulan town.

Asked if the NORPPO would do background checks on its police officers, Tacaca said that his office will only take action once he gets the results of the initial investigation of the Mandaue City Police Office.

For his part, PRO-7 Director Debold Sinas said Hortezuela has already been a police target due to several confirmed reports of his alleged involvement in illegal drugs, adding that Hortezuela was very elusive to authorities and even tested negative in a drug test.

Because of this, Hortezuela’s family will not be enjoying the benefits nor will they be receiving any honor from the PNP.

Jeffrey "Jaguar" Diaz, the suspected drug lord whom Hortezuela allegedly protected, was killed in a 2016 police operation in Las Piñas City. —RSJ/KG, GMA News

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