The subject of a buy-bust operation in Bacolod City who shot a policeman dead during the ops has also passed away.

The buy-bust was carried out on April 9, 2026 and the subject of the operation, Ronilo Panoncial, reportedly passed away two days later on April 11.

Panoncial reportedly sustained injuries from a scuffle that occurred when he allegedly resisted arrest and allegedly even tried to grab a firearm.

He passed away in the hospital.

“Namatay siya April 11, 5:27 ng umaga. Hindi pa namin ma-ano ang death certificate kasi noong time na na-arrest siya nag-agawan pa ng armas, nanlaban siya. Probably, diyan niya na-sustain and mga injury,” said Col. Eugene Rebadomia, Officer-in-charge of the Bacolod City Police Office.

The medico-legal certificate furnished to Panoncial’s family showed that he died from a blood clot in his head.

But his mother raised questions:

“Maayos pa siya nang inaresto siya. Bakit ganoon ang nangyari sa kanya? Akala namin hindi nila papatayin,” said the mother, Josephine Panoncial.

“Hindi talaga maipaliwanag ang sitwasyon ng mukha niya. Parang nag-seizure. Parang brain dead,” Panoncial’s brother-in-law, Bell, said.

The family reportedly wants Panoncial’s body undergo an autopsy, something that authorities said they respect.

Rebadomia said if the police wanted to kill Panoncial, they would have already opened fire.

“Hindi naman namin iyan i-hinder kasi rights nila iyan. Kasi kung may intention ang ating pulisya, nagpaputok na sila,” Rebadomia said.